By: Kerrington Sweeney
“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will be my servant also. If anyone serves me, the father will honour him.”~John 12:26
Ever since a very young age,
I have grown up in the church watching my parents so diligently serve and volunteer. With Parents, who constantly were serving can you already take a guess that…I was born with a very BIG servants heart!
(Which is a good thing, don’t get me wrong…)
Whether it was cutting pickles and cheese for the Church picnic, collecting the garbage’s in the washrooms, vacuuming the foyer carpeting, building posters in the office, to leading the Children’s worship…I was there.
Passionately serving, serving, serving
and then some more serving.
I think you get the point,
I was ‘always’ serving.
For quite sometime…
I just was going to church, to serve.
Never to receive…running around getting little jobs done for the Pastor’s or in the Sunday school room teaching the Kiddos about Jesus Christ, organizing the supply closets, cleaning sinks…and so much more.
Whenever I would have the opportunity to sit and receive…A guilt would then overcome my heart. Or when the clip-board for volunteers got passed around the congregation and I wouldn’t put my name on it, because I was simply just too exhausted…the devil then started to play with my mind in that time of just, pure exhaustion. It was definitely NOT,
what church was intended to be like.
Church in my eyes…should be a place of refuge and of strengthening. A place where you come in incredibly weary and leave fresh, and totally renewed! Where Friends and Family gather to build each other up. A precious place of community.
Which Church…Yes! Is all of those things, but not when you have the mindset of always having to volunteer, to be close to God.
God dropped this letter upon my heart, when I was praying about this post…It brought many flowing tears, to my eyes.
Dear to all Faithful Servants,
I know that this may seem like some sort of shock to you…but did you know that things wouldn’t run properly if you weren’t around?!
Did you know, we would feel as if something was missing if you wouldn’t be here??
Did you know that we as a church family appreciate everything you do for this ministry?!
Volunteer, You are so very appreciated, not only by your church families, but also the visitors of your church.
These visitors come in and see the diligence and faithfulness in your work and they are blessed by it.
I know sometimes that you’re ‘willing and always ready to serve gentle spirit’, may have grown quite weary and felt almost maybe, misused over the past few months with the Churches being busy at work, preparing for the coming revival…
But I see your tired spirit, And I’m here to fill you up and restore you…
So that you will be able to serve me with a joyful heart, more and more faithfully!
I’m so proud of you!! Seeing you fully surrendering your hands and feet to me, so that we all can extend the kingdom together, is such a joy to see 🙂
All the Volunteer hours that go unnoticed…I appreciate each and every second, one of them. Remember,
I am always with you, if you need to chat.
I’m with you when you are busy running around doing tons of Volunteer work, I’m with you when you are in the prayer room for a few moments of sweet rest, I’m with you in the grocery store when you are about to muster up the courage, to witness to someone. Thing is, I’m always with you!
I’m your strength when you are weary, your peace when you feel in complete-chaos, I’m your God and I’m always with you ❤️
Never forget, you are appreciated…
I see every minute you are passionately serving me and I am so incredibly proud, words can’t even describe it 🙂
Love always,
~God, Your Proud Heavenly Father!
…Serving others isn’t just something that we do. It is a matter of growing our heart. It’s a passion inside to do what we do. It involves looking out not only for our own interests but, also the interests of many others.
Servant-hood, should never be mistaken for a doormat. Our culture has unfortunately taken a steep downfall in that area…Servant-hood, definitely involves a process of constantly cultivating a humble heart. In all of scripture, the clear message is always consistent. Those who humble themselves before God and before man, will be lifted up. The prideful will always find their downfall.
Serve. With all humbleness.
Galatians 6:9 says…
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
So if you are new to this journey of volunteering in ministry at your church, embark with a joyful-serving heart, pray and ask your Heavenly Father, what he would have you to do; And If you grow weary in your well doing like I did,
Don’t ever give up…
Pause and find sweet rest in Him.
Until Next time,
~Kerrington
{We are His Daughters} 