How Are You Serving Jesus in 2019?

If you are a type A personality you probably aren’t looking for a “new” place to serve Christ. In fact you may be looking to let go of something.

As we look ahead to a new year, perhaps this is time to ask God what HE wants us to do. Often, I assume what I am already doing is part of His plan. Closing one year and looking into the next is a perfect time to re-examine the ministries we are involved in outside our own homes.

In John 15:16, as He addresses Christlike love and serving as He desires, Jesus says: “You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain…” He wants us to bear fruit as we serve Him. In fact He says He “appointed” us to do this. We may use the word “appointed” as purpose or calling as we consider how we are to bear fruit. He specifically chose us to bear a certain kind of fruit.

Sometimes we get to see immediate fruit, other times it takes months or years. Perhaps like some of the heroes of the Old Testament, the fruit doesn’t occur during their life times. Can we trust God with the fruit bearing results in His timing as we continue to serve faithfully?

Serving is one of the ways we mature spiritually. When we see God at work, especially in our own weaknesses and inabilities, we should be prone to obey more quickly as we trust His power and abilities, not ours. We see that God uses us to touch the lives of others and that spurns us on to find more ways to serve.

Although it’s not the purpose for serving, a byproduct in addition to fruit, is that we are blessed to “get” to serve! We know He doesn’t NEED us, He calls us to be a part of His work. That never ceases to amaze and humble me! We often feel more blessed than those we are serving.

The first time I remember serving in my community through our church was when I joined other women to provide a monthly birthday party for children in a low income day care center in our city. After I participated the first month, I couldn’t wait for the next party. I believe I had more fun than the children did! More than that, I knew I could never “not” serve again, at least in SOME way.

For the first time I realized this is one of the assignments he gives us once we commit our lives to Him as our Savior and as we serve through our local body of believers.

Certainly, one of the major ways I’ve come to know Christ and His Word more deeply is through participating in, serving through, and leading women’s ministry both within and through the three churches I’ve been a part of over the last 46 years. God has shown me His ability to do through me what He purposed I would do, in spite my inabilities.

So, as I face a new year, I want to do a couple of things and I challenge you to do the same.

Make list of how you are currently serving in your church and community.
Pray over each responsibility and ask if God wants you to continue to serve in each one.
Be open to stopping something God has not assigned you to do.
Be open to God leading you to do a new thing.
Looks for opportunities to serve…especially those that will help you grow spiritually.
Be patient in the season of little or no fruit. If you are sure this is God’s assignment, be faithful until He allows you to see the fruit or redirects you.
Commit to not do ministry alone but to connect with likeminded people to serve together. If God has given you the vision, pray for Him to raise up others to participate in this ministry.
Accept His assignments for you in 2019 with courage, dependence on Him and gratefulness that He allows you to serve Him!