How Gratitude Keeps You From Falling

​Discover God’s key to standing strong through life’s challenges. Learn how faith and divine guidance help you avoid falling and stay grounded.

​Trevor H Lund helps capable and caring people—who are growing weary in doing good—move from striving and stress to peace and purpose as they rediscover and enjoy the life God created them for. He does this as an encourager, writer, and authorpreneur. He encourages through his blog, podcast, and live casts at https://revtrev.com/, shares his writing at https://trevorlund.com/, and teaches in Live LIGHT Academy at https://livelight.ca/.

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​Have you ever wondered what God’s will is you? It’s an interesting study and you need to know God wants you to know his will. I’ll give you a quick overview of the times the Bible authors say “It’s God’s will…” We need to pay attention to them anytime they come up.

Here’s the three places I’ve found so far…

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 (NLT): God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honour

1 Peter 2:15 (NLT): It is God’s will that your honourable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT) Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

So God’s will for us is to be holy, live honourable, rejoice always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.

We’re to be holy because he is holy. We’re to be honourable because He sends rain on the just and unjust. We’re to rejoice, pray and give thanks because it makes us more like him.

He rejoices over us with singing and quiets us with his love. He invites us into the cosmic dance called prayer because we become more and more like what we worship and we give thanks because it give us his mind about situations we face in the day to day of everyday.

Why focus on Gratitude?

Today we’re going to look at the fact it is God’s will for us to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all situations.

How can we practically do that today?

Is it even reasonable for us to in our busy lives?

Not only should we be doing it. I have found it to be a key God has given to us to not fall—regardless of the situation we are facing—but I’m going to warn you—we need to do it with our whole heart.

Can I pray?

The reality we face

You and I will have times, and days and seasons when circumstances may it very hard to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.

And we have a perfect example of this in the book of Job.

Job’s hopeful life

There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area. Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.

What happened behind the scenes

One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.

When hope disappeared

One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother’s house, a messenger arrived at Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: “Three bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home. Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”

Job’s Response

Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.

Satan isn’t done

Job 2:1-9 One day the members of the heavenly court came again to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.” Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.” Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life. But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, do with him as you please,” the Lord said to Satan. “But spare his life.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence, and he struck Job with terrible boils from head to foot.

Job’s wife’s Response

Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.”

What we can learn about gratitude

If you know the rest of the story you know it goes on and on and on and on. It’s a beautiful poem in Hebrew.

Three friends come and they don’t know how to give safe space for Job to self-express his thoughts feelings and emotions without judgement, criticism or condemnation. Instead they give him judgement, criticism and condemnation.

Have you ever had friends like that?

My experience

When I was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack I had a friend come and talk to me his problems and not ask me about mine - at least I didn’t feel any judgement, criticism or condemnation.

We may never have had the highs and lows Job had, but If you’ve been on the journey with God for any length of time you will have felt like Job must have felt, or how his wife for sure felt.

What did you think his wife thought?

• Her Stable Life Shattered: Job was described as a prosperous and upright man, blessed with a large family, wealth, and good health. As his wife, she shared in this comfortable and secure life.
• She Lost Children: Job's ten children died suddenly when a great wind struck the house where they were feasting.
• She Lost Wealth: Job's livestock and servants were taken or killed by raiders and natural disasters.
• She must have been in Shock and Grief: The cumulative loss of their entire family and possessions in a short time would have caused overwhelming grief, fear, and despair.
• She probably feared Isolation: In their culture, a woman’s status was often tied to her husband’s wellbeing. Job’s suffering likely isolated her socially.
• She undoubtedly had Emotional Burden: She had to watch her husband suffer while grieving for their children and former life.

It’s often tougher on the spouse of the one going through health difficulties. They get very little support

TIP: Ask the spouse how they’re doing BEFORE you ask them how their spouse is doing.

What Job’s Wife Must Have Felt

Grief: Losing all her children and wealth would bring deep sorrow.
Fear: Facing an uncertain future without resources or family.
Hopelessness: Witnessing her husband's suffering and possibly feeling powerless to help.
Frustration/Despair: Urging Job to curse God suggests she was struggling with faith or could not understand why they were suffering so much.

We all will have times we feel like Job’s wife.

You need to know that you’re not surprising God or offending him when you have those feelings. He invites you to pour your heart out to him.

If you’re there now. If you’re thinking “I wish I could curse God and die.”

TIP: Go into the Psalms and find a Psalm that feels the way you do. Then camp out on it until you know God knows how you feel and you exchange your problems for his peace.

But for the rest of us—if we’re not feeling that way—you need to know that God has key to keep us from falling. It’s a rhythm we can have in the day-to-day of our everyday. It comes from these two thoughts we find in scripture.

Gratitude transforms our perspective; worship sustains our steps.

Where do I get this?

It comes from where we see the opposite happening—the thing I want to encourage you to avoid.

Romans 1:21-22 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.

Why is it important that worship God as God?

When we don’t worship God as God or even give him thanks our thinking becomes foolish. We start calling good evil and can start calling evil good. We fall away from His presence. We fall out of his will. We fall from the faith. The fruit of spirit stops growing and we start to follow the desires of our sinful nature. And what seemed like foolishness starts making sense.

We have all of creation to look at and see there is a God. But it’s too common of a conversation for me to have that people acknowledge that, but never worship Him as God.

They make up their own ideas about what happens when they die and it affects how they live their life. There’s no Lordship of Christ in their lives. And it’s sad as they live without peace and hope and joy. It’s tragic when they’re about to face eternity and their hope is based on their own ideas, not the word of God.

Make sure you always worship God as God. Don’t lose the awe. Acknowledge he is Lord and live like He’s Lord of your life. Find out what pleases the Lord - His will is for you is to be holy, live honourable, rejoice always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances and to find out what pleases Him.

Why is it important that we give thanks?

Besides we know it’s his will for us, gratitude is something we’ve studied psychologically. It does us a lot of good.

Greater life satisfaction and positive emotions
Lower levels of depressive symptoms
Better relationships
More generous and helpful behaviours
Improved sleep
Possible physical health benefits
Greater resilience during hardship

• Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life.
• Wood, A. M., Froh, J. J., & Geraghty, A. W. A. (2010). Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration.
• Dickens, L. R. (2017). Using gratitude to promote positive change: A series of meta-analyses investigating the effectiveness of gratitude interventions.
• Allen, S. (2018). The science of gratitude. Greater Good Science Center.

So that’s is why is it so important that we worship him as God and give him thanks:

Gratitude transforms our perspective; worship sustains our steps.

Where do we see it in the positive?

Gratitude Transforms our perspective

Philippians 4:6–7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

With gratitude—when you exchange your problems for His peace—your anxiousness is replaced by his peace. Your perspective changes when you give thanks with your whole heart.

Worship sustains our steps

Isaiah 40:29–31
He gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Gratitude helps us trust God to good and in a good mood. When we trust God is good and in a good mood—worship is the natural expression of a thankful heart.

Gratitude transforms our perspective; worship sustains our steps.

Does This Really Matter?

We are all going to face grief. We’re all going to come face-to-face with fear. We’re all going to have times of hopeless. There will be times we are in frustration and despair.

You may have lived your life the best way you knew how. You may have done all you knew how to do and still there is problem, after problem after problem and the blessing that used to overwhelm all get stripped away.

If you haven’t yet be forewarned you need to know God hasn’t left you without a path through.

How did you make it through?

Did you become better or did you become bitter?

We can all stumble. We can all fall. (see James 3:2)

Remember the proverb:

Proverbs 24:16 (NIV) "For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,"

And the psalm:

Psalm 37:23-24 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.

We can stumble…but we never want to fall. We don’t want to fall away. We don’t want to curse God and die.

1 Corinthians 15:58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

What If?

What if—though you may stumble—you know you’d never fall?

What if you could naturally rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances? What if it wasn’t forced and wasn’t toxic?

Imagine

What does it feel like to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances?

You’ve been there. You’ve had times and seasons when it flowed naturally. When you have peace that remains steady no matter what storms arise—a deep calm rooted in trust. Joy bubbling up from within, independent of external situations, a lightness in your heart. A constant conversation with God, where your mind and heart stay connected throughout the day—like breathing in and out. Strength and resilience that come from knowing you’re not alone, that every moment is held by something greater. Freedom from worry—replaced by surrender and hope—even when life feels uncertain or hard. It’s an ongoing attitude, a choice to live with an open heart—celebrating, trusting, and thanking no matter what.

You were created for this. You were created to walk with God in garden in cool of day.

If it was lost in fall, it was restored at the cross.

You don’t have to conform, you can be transformed.

You don’t have to be like Job’s wife. You can endure anything and have your faith grow.

How can you endure and grow?

That’s a great question. I’m so glad you asked.

That’s why I developed the Make Space to Be in AWE tool

Gratitude transforms our perspective; worship sustains our steps.

I want to praise God and give thanks to Him everyday. I do it at the start of my prayer time.

Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Make Space to Be in AWE tool

Give Thanks to God with All Your Heart

A - Awareness — Decide intentionally to give thanks
W - Witness — Feel gratitude for what you give thanks for
E - Express — Show appreciation for what you feel gratitude for which naturally becomes worship when you give thanks to God with all your heart. (See Psalm 9:1, Psalm 111:1, Psalm 119:7)

Practice giving thanks to God with all your heart.

Remember

Gratitude transforms our perspective; worship sustains our steps.

Challenge to start Gratitude

The challenge today is to use the Make Space to Be in AWE tool l everyday.

I use it at the start of my prayer time. I enter his gates with thanksgiving and naturally flow into worship and praise. But use it whenever you feel AWE… maybe it’s when you see the sunrise, or stop to consider a flower, or see your kids pictures on the mantel…The challenge is to slow down enough to be in AWE.

Next Steps to Grow Gratitude

If you had trouble with practicing giving thanks to God with your heart…

I’m going to be running a the Live LIGHT 70-Day Gratitude Challenge from Friday, September 18, 2026 – Thursday November 26, 2026.

The challenge is everyday for 70 days

Decide to give thanks
Feel gratitude for what you give thanks for
Show appreciation for what you feel gratitude for

In 21 days you’ll be 10% happier. This has been proven by scientific studies. Neuroplasticity tells us doing something 3 sets of 21 days —or 63-70 days actually creates new neural pathways in our brains so it becomes natural for you to give thanks always….which is God’s will for you.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time to plant a tree is today.

The best time to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances was the day you made Jesus your Lord. The next best time is today.

You like to get into the gratitude challenge at get daily prompts to give thanks you can start today https://revtrev.link/thanks Or join with everyone else on September 18.

Conclusion

In this world you will have problems, but take heart because Jesus has overcome the world.

God’s key to not falling when those problems come is to prepare today to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.

Start by Make Space To Be in AWE. Give thanks daily with all your heart to God.

Can I Pray for You?

Communal Prayer Based on Psalm 16

Keep us safe, our God,
for in you we take refuge.
We say to the Lord, “You are our Lord;
apart from you we have no good thing.”

Lord, you alone are our portion and our cup;
you make our lot secure.

The boundary lines have fallen for us in pleasant places;
surely we have a delightful inheritance.

We will praise the Lord, who counsels us;
even at night our hearts instruct us.

We keep our eyes always on the Lord.
With him at our right hand, we shall not be shaken.

Therefore our hearts are glad and our tongues rejoice;
our bodies also will rest secure,

because you will not abandon us to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful ones see decay

You make known to us the path of life;
you fill us with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

How Holy Spirit Helps You Reach Your Missions to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and Ends of the Earth

​Discover practical steps to find joy and purpose as you fulfill your mission in your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.

​Learn how to enjoy and embrace each stage of your spiritual mission—whether in your Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, or the ends of the earth. This video offers practical guidance and encouragement for fulfilling your calling with joy and purpose. Perfect for anyone seeking clarity and motivation in their faith journey. Subscribe for more insights and inspiration on living out your mission!

​Trevor H Lund is an encourager, writer, and authorpreneur dedicated to helping people discover peace, joy, and hope in all circumstances. He encourages others through his blog, podcast, and live casts at revtrev.com, shares his writing at trevorlund.com, and teaches in Live LIGHT Academy at livelight.ca.

​Listen To How Holy Spirit Helps You Reach Your Mission to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and Ends of the Earth

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​When Jesus was saying good-bye to his disciples they kept asking him if now—after his death and resurrection—he’d free Israel and restore the kingdom.

He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:7-8 NLT

Did you catch that? In my experience we guilt people into sharing their faith. How can you be in an evangelical church and not be evangelize personally?

Guilt is not good motivation to reach Your Mission

It’s easy to make Christians feel guilty for not being excited always share their faith.

I’ve found guilt is not a good motivator of people. And that’s the opposite of what Jesus taught His disciples. He sent them out to perform miracles and tell people about the kingdom. And then he told them they would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on them to be His witnesses.

That call—to receive power to be His witnesses—is still with us today. And you and I have our own Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and ends of the earth.

The supernatural act of being transferred from the dominion of darkness into the Kingdom of Light cannot be done by natural means. Any program that uses some earthly strategy and denies the power of Holy Spirit needed to accomplish it, has a form of godliness but denies the power therein (2 Timothy 3:5). Isn’t something we should entertain.

Our Part - God’s Part in Your Mission

We have a part—YES— but God has a much bigger role. Consider this:

• No one can come to God unless the Father draws them. - John 6:44
• No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. - 1 Corinthians 12:3
• Jesus, being lifted up, draws everyone to himself - John 12:32

The whole Godhead has a role in the revelation of Jesus Christ to each of our hearts.

Really, our role is so minor, but so necessary. Yet even in our role Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

What I’m trying to say about Your Mission

What I’m trying to say is this:

Please don’t do in the natural what was meant for the supernatural.

Take a page out of Paul’s book:

They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum. Romans 15:18-19

We can’t get overwhelmed with the call - because we can’t finish in the flesh what was started in the Spirit. (Galatians 3:3)

Time to get to the strategy for Your Mission

Saying all that…Jesus and His disciples had a different strategy for Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. And every one these strategies include the supernatural to work through them.

Your Mission to Jerusalem

So let’s start by looking at Jerusalem.

I’ve got some good news and some not some good news for you.

The good news is you have people around you who love you, or at least like you and want the best for you. These are family and friends who are like family.

God wants you to know He cares—even more than you do—for them. He wants you to love them so they can love Him and love others.

You know them. You love them.

You know what they like and don’t like.

You know how they like to communicate and how they won’t communicate.

You have been trained and bred and positioned and entrusted to reach this mission field.

This is your Jerusalem. It’s those closest to you, the ones most familiar to you, the ones you’re comfortable with.

That’s the good news.

God loves the people you love and has done everything necessary for them to be in right relationship with Him.

The promise of the Holy Spirit is for you and your children and all who are far off. (Acts 2:39)

The not so good news is that family and friends who are like family are the ones who know you the best as well…and that means it’s tough.

It’s not easy. It’s tough.

It’s tough. Jerusalem is the place that can kill us.

Jesus said

“In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and the next day--for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!” Luke 13:33

The ones closest to us are the ones who can hurt us the most. It can be intentional or unintentional. They want the best for us—even though they may not know what the best is for us. And they can mess up our best very easily and unwittingly. They can be embarrassed by us or embarrassed for us.

It’s not easy. It’s tough.

It was tough for Jesus and it can be tough for us.

Your Mission to Reach your Jerusalem is tough

It’s tough.

Our family and friends who are like family won’t be the first to believe us.

Jesus had that problem. John tells us

John 7:5 (NLT) For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.

It’s tough.

Our family and friends who are like family don’t give us the same respect a stranger will.

Jesus had that problem.

Mark 6:4 (NLT) Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honoured everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.”

It’s tough.

Our family and friends who are like family are the ones who know the words that can hurt.

Jesus had that problem.

John 7:3–5 (NLT) Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.

It’s tough.

Our family and friends who are like family are the first to call us crazy.

Jesus had that problem.

Mark 3:21 (NLT) When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.

If Jesus himself couldn’t force his family to share his convictions, you’re not going to be able to force yours.

It’s tough. But you and I can do what Jesus did and taught us to do.

It’s tough.

Our family and friends who are like family are the ones who question who YOU are and who YOU are becoming.

Jesus had that problem.

The cousin who declared Jesus the lamb of God - later asked him if he was the one or if he got it wrong. Jesus’s response shows us his focus. He said

Luke 7:22 NLT “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.””

His strategy for us to reach our Jerusalem is

Inexplicable Transformation

Wives, how are you to win your husband? Is it to talk him over to your side? Can you nag him to Christ? You know that won’t work. Peter says

1 Peter 3:1-2 NLT …even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives.

That is Inexplicable Transformation. You are yourself—showing Jesus— more and more to the ones you love.

It’s in the day-to-day of everyday that people see you reveal more and more of Jesus to them.

Transformation is Holy Spirit’s work.

We can’t show inexplicable transformation in our own strength, or our own goodness. When we do we’re the ones to get the glory. When Holy Spirit does the work, Jesus gets the credit.

What’s our role in transformation?

Romans 12:2 HCSB “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

Do not be conformed but be transformed.

How are we transformed?

We are being transformed by the renewing of our mind. Romans 12:2

But it’s still God helping us

Ephesians 4:21-23 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Did you catch that? “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes”.

It’s Holy Spirit who transforms us. It’s not something we can do in ourselves. We didn’t save ourselves, we won’t transform ourselves. We can’t finish in the flesh what was started in the Spirit. In fact, Paul tells us in Galatians 5:16

Galatians 5:16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Holy Spirit empowers us to transform.

Jesus result

Jesus did not let the difficult dynamic of his family overshadow his purpose. And because he didn’t, their story has a happy ending. Do you know what happened to Jesus’ family?

They moved from mocking to worship

Acts 1:14 (NLT) They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.

One brother became an apostle (Gal. 1:19) and others became missionaries (1 Corinthians 9:5).

We need to give our family and friends who are like family space, time, and grace to change. They need to see Jesus in us. Holy Spirit will finish the good work He’s started in them.

Your Mission to Judea

When it comes to being witnesses for Jesus in our Judea I have good news for you and not so good news for you and some real good news for you.

Good news - “Judea” are people you are really comfortable with. They’re not really what you’d call close friends, but you could be friends or would be friends if you could. You trust them enough to do business with them. You drive each other’s kids to practice or games. You speak their language. You live in their world. You like these people. These people will probably not kill you.

Not so good news - Jesus warned that some will judge you, hate you, persecute you and call you names, flog you and send you to judges.

But the real good news - They’re not really doing it to you, they’re doing it to Jesus and He has some strategies for you to be as shrewd as serpents and harmless as doves.

Your role: follow your compassion.

God’s role: Show the Kingdom through you.

I’m going to tell you the account of when Jesus sends out his 12 disciples in Matthew 10. We’ll look at the reason for the commissioning and the commission. Then we’ll jump ahead to His warning. Then we’ll go back to the strategy He gives them and see how we can apply it today.

Matthew 9:35 - 10:7 NLT

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. Here are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (also called Peter), then Andrew (Peter’s brother), James (son of Zebedee), John (James’s brother), Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew (the tax collector), James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the zealot), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him). Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.

Notice a few things here. First, Jesus had compassion on the crowd. Compassion always moves God. It’s not need that moves the hand of God. It’s His compassion. Be led by your compassion. We’re told not to turn off our compassion. (1 John 3:17)

Remind me if I don’t this up later. This is huge for us.

Next, Jesus has his disciples to pray for workers to get in the field, then immediately sends them to be workers in the field. Pay attention to prayer burdens—it’s a good place for compassion to lead from. God may be setting you up to be moved by compassion.

Let your compassion lead you. Remember to pray and obey and oh yah…let the supernatural flow through you.

Now let’s jump down to some of the warnings Jesus gives them - verse 16.

Matthew 10:16-25 NLT “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me. When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed. And all nations will hate you because you are my followers. But everyone who endures to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next. I tell you the truth, the Son of Man will return before you have reached all the towns of Israel.“Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!

Notice again, it’s family that can kill you. People in Judea will judge you, hate you, persecute you and call you names. ... Whip you and send you before judges.

That’s not the good news, but it’s news we need to be ready for.

Reaching our Judea isn’t something that can be done without the empowering of Holy Spirit.

We just don’t proclaim the Kingdom, we show the Kingdom…let’s get into that. Let’s look at Jesus’s strategy for them and strategy for us.

Matthew 10:7-15 NLT Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! “Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed. “Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. When you enter the home, give it your blessing. If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.

Let me sum up

Jesus’ strategy for them to reach Judea.

Supernatural Interaction and Counterintuitive Reciprocity

Supernatural Interaction

The “Go” in His statement actually means “As you go…”

It’s in the day-to-day of everyday that we declare the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s in our everyday, going to work, eating, sleeping, breathing lives. It’s not an event or a one-time mission trip. It’s as we go we proclaim the good news.

What is the good news?

Jesus is king, and that’s a good thing.

The Kingdom is near, because it’s in us. The Kingdom is here because Jesus is King and that’s a good thing.

Jesus said:

As you go announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons.

Too often the supernatural is ignored in discipleship training because people allow their experience to dictate theology instead of teaching what Jesus taught.

The supernatural is essential in reaching those in Judea. We can’t deny that. We can’t ignore it. We can’t keep it behind the walls of the church. It’s for those who God wants to show Jesus is King and that’s a good thing. They need to see it before they believe it.

We can teach you these things and release you in these things.

Understand these signs will follow those who believe…

Mark 16:17-18 NLT These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

Start to expect the miraculous signs. Don’t be satisfied with what you can figure out in your own brain. Pay attention to what God is doing when you feel compassion.

I’ve found when I don’t shut off compassion God surprises me with signs and wonders. When I am led by compassion I get to see more of the miracles of God.

Supernatural Interaction and
Counter-intuitive Reciprocity

What did Jesus tell them to do?

Stay in the town, for as long as people are willing to serve you.

His key of counterintuitive reciprocity was “Let them serve you.”

Talk about being as shrewd as serpents and harmless as doves.

Let them serve you.

Conclude Judea

So to reach your Judea—the people you like and who like you— show them supernatural interaction and use counterintuitive reciprocity.

I can explain why this works on so many levels. I can show you how it’s worked in my life, but no time right now. For now let’s move on to Samaria.

Your Mission to Samaria

If Jerusalem is where we are home and Judea is the place we’re the most comfortable, Samaria is the place Jesus takes us where we are not the most comfortable.

The not really good news:

Samaria are people we’re not naturally connected with. They are people who don’t know you and may already be judging you.

We’re not in the same social groups or ethnic groups, or religious group or political group or gender group or married group, or generational group or…. We might not self-identify like they do. They are outside our personal circles.

If you thought the first two were tough, this one is going to make you uncomfortable… but it’s worth it.

Jesus will take us to the place we’re not the most comfortable.

Following Jesus is not easy. If anyone has told you it is easy they’re either ignorant or lying.

Jesus said:

Luke 9:23-26 NLT Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.

He also said

John 15:18-20 NLT “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you

He also said

Luke 14:26-27 NASB “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

So what made you think he wouldn’t take you where you not comfortable?

What makes you think your comfort is any of his concern?

I realize this is not good news.

The good news:

The strategy Jesus and the apostles give us for Samaria is Miraculous Action and Radical Compassion

Miraculous Action

John 4 and Acts 8 both specially focus on supernatural gifts and miracles taking place in Samaria. It is the core of what Jesus did, and later what Philip did, and after him what Peter and John did when they were in Samaria. There were signs and wonders and miracles that proceeded the teaching.

It seems the places we’re most uncomfortable are places God reveals His power.

We can take you on Treasure Hunts and you can experience this for yourself.

Radical Compassion

It was towns in Samaria that didn’t want Jesus to come in when he was heading towards Jerusalem to die:

Luke 9:52-56 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. So they went on to another village.

The amazing thing is it was in Samaria that Jesus said:

John 4:35 -38 NLT Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

You can be the answer to somebody else’s prayer.

Sometimes we plant, sometimes we water, sometimes we harvest. God is one who brings the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-9).

When we plant, water and see the harvest it’s awesome. We rejoice with all the angels in heaven. (Luke 15:10) It’s glorious.

When we reap where we didn’t plant or water, it’s awe-inspiring and humbling. Whenever we see we’re the answer to somebody else’s prayer it’s awesome!

Who might be the ones who you’re not the most comfortable with?

Maybe it’s social-economic? Are you not the most comfortable around successful people? Or maybe you’re not the most comfortable around people who don’t have much?

Maybe it’s religious lines you don’t want to cross? Are you not the most comfortable around people of different faith or no faith?

Maybe it’s generational gaps? Are you not the most comfortable around people younger or older than you?

Maybe it’s behavioural? Are you not the most comfortable around people who practice what you know is sin?

Maybe it’s cognitive? Are you not the most comfortable with people who don’t think the same way do you?

Other? Is Holy Spirit highlighting a specific group?

I don’t think any of us are comfortable with everyone all the time. I believe there are people we just don’t feel comfortable around and are not the most comfortable getting to know them. I’m not suggesting you put yourself in harms way. I’m not saying you have to hang around violent, angry people when they are violent and angry.

I am saying you need to have eyes to see, ears to hear and hands to do what Holy Spirit is leading you to do. He will work all things together for the good of those He’s called.

Your role: is to risk being uncomfortable Luke 9:52-56

God’s role: send us to harvest where we didn’t plant John 4:35 -38

Finally we get to the ends of the earth.

Your Mission to Ends of the earth

If Jerusalem is where we are home and Judea is the place we’re the most comfortable, Samaria is the place Jesus takes us where we are not the most comfortable, the ends of the earth we can understand as everybody everywhere.

The Good News

We know God’s strategy for us to reach everybody, everywhere.

We know that’s what God wants to see in all of us and what the world needs to see in all of us.

God’s strategy for us to reach the ends of the earth is Unconquerable Hope!

Where do I get this?

Peter writes to :

1 Peter 1:1 …God’s elect, scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

Peter is talking to those scattered. They’ve moved beyond Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. He gives them this strategy in 1 Peter 3:15-16

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

The Not so Good News about Your Mission to the Ends of the Earth

We can expect to be slandered and…. hope is seen most clearly in hurt (Romans 5:3-5).

People need to see the hope in you before they can ask about it and stop their malicious talk against you.

They need to see your hope and peace and joy, so they’ll ask the reason for it.

Biblical Hope

Biblical hope is the antithesis of wishful thinking, it’s not something you can manufacture. Peace is not something you can pretend to have. You can’t “fake-it-til-you-make-it” with joy.

It is a supernatural gift of almighty Father to have hope and peace and joy at all times and in every situation.

We have a role.

Romans 15:13 says: The God of all hope fills us with all peace and joy AS WE TRUST IN HIM so we can overflow with hope by the power of Holy Spirit.

We have a role. Our role is to trust God.

God’s role: to fill you with peace and joy so you can overflow with hope.

It’s by the power of Holy Spirit that we can overflow with hope - no matter with what life and the enemy throws at us.

When people see your peace and joy in the middle of your hurt they will ask about your hope.

When they ask you about your hope…

This tool helps in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and in the ends of earth to share your faith. I want you to remember 3 simple things — A.B.C.

Your Mission and the A.B.C.’ S sharing your faith…

A. Avoid Any Agenda

Be interested in the person - people love to talk about themselves.

If they don’t—realize they don’t trust you and—work on building trust. Hint: trust takes time. It’s not a one-and-done conversation, it’s a process to build trust. Many people move toward faith gradually. Sometimes you plant, sometimes you water. (1 Corinthians 3:6) Sometimes you harvest where you haven’t planted or watered. (1 Corinthians 3:6) Don’t make a person a project.

B. Build a Bridge, Not a Wall

Instead of leading with disagreement, look for common ground and relationship. Learn to turn normal conversations to spiritual ones.

Want to know the quickest way to come around walls?

Ask Holy Spirit: What do you love of about them? Call it out in them.

Learn to work naturally with the supernatural.

C. Compassion Charts your Course

Compassion leads us where God wants us to be. Don’t judge people by appearance, personality, politics, or outward vibe. See them as people God loves. Compassion gives you eyes to see, ears to hear and hands to do what Holy Spirit is leading you to do.

Know your ABC’s to reach people everywhere.

Review Your Mission

Your Mission to To reach Jerusalem

People who love you—you need Inexplicable Transformation
Your role: Put to death what belongs to your earthly nature.
God’s role is to empower you to transform more and more into the image of Jesus.

Your Mission to reach Judea

People who like you—you need Supernatural Interaction and Counterintuitive Reciprocity
Your role: follow your compassion.
God’s role: Show the Kingdom through you.

Your Mission to reach Samaria

People who don’t like you and who you might not like—you need Miraculous Action and Radical Compassion
Your role: is to risk being uncomfortable
God’s role: work all things together for the good.

Your Mission to reach the Ends of the Earth

Everybody Everywhere you need Unconquerable Hope
Your role: Trust God
God’s role: to fill you with peace and joy so you can overflow with hope.

Conclusion

You see this dance we’re in to always share. It was never created to make us feel guilty for not sharing. It was created to empower us to share God’s love with everyone. We weren’t met to do this on our own personalities and abilities but by the power of Holy Spirit working through us. Let Him work through you as you walk by the Holy Spirit keep in step with Holy Spirit.

Who are you believing for in your Jerusalem?
Who are you praying for in your Judea?
Who are you risking for in your Samaria?
Who are you giving the answer for your hope to?

Remember you have a good Father who gives good gifts to His children. Celebrate the father’s in your life today.
Remember the joy of your own salvation as you congratulate those who passed through the waters of baptism this morning in response to Jesus’s knocking, the Father’s drawing and Holy Spirit’s empowering.
Remember to always be ready to share the reason for your hope.

How to Joyfully Serve One Another in Love

​Discover practical ways to serve others with joy and love, deepening relationships and fostering a caring community rooted in kindness and compassion.

​Learn how to joyfully serve one another in love and strengthen your relationships. This message shares practical tips, biblical insights, and personal stories to inspire you to care for others with genuine kindness. Whether in your family, church, or community, discover how loving service can make a lasting impact.

​Trevor H Lund is an encourager, writer, and authorpreneur dedicated to helping people discover peace, joy, and hope in all circumstances. He encourages others through his blog, podcast, and live casts at revtrev.com, shares his writing at trevorlund.com, and teaches in Live LIGHT Academy at livelight.ca.

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Read the notes for How to Joyfully Serve One Another in Love

I started this week knowing I had difficult conversations to have with a lot of people. Some I serve, others I support. All of them had to be done in love.

Have you ever had a week when you just weren’t looking forward to Monday morning?

Some people call that “adulting”. Other people call it life.

Sometimes Serve willingly

We’re talking today about Enjoying Service and I need to start out by saying “It’s not always enjoyable.”

Let’s consider something…what if God didn’t give the local church to us to make us happy, but to make us holy?

Sometimes things just need to be done. Sometimes we’re the only one who can get that thing done. Sometimes what we do isn’t noticed or when it is noticed, it’s complained about. Sometimes we feel that nobody cares. We can feel unseen and unappreciated. We can become weary in doing good.

Listen, that’s not the way God designed service to be.

We’re to serve Him and each other in a wonderful, reaffirming, self-effacing, rhythmic dance of joy.

You CAN have peace and hope and joy at all times and in every situation. I’ll give you some tips and tools to do that in the day-to-day of your everyday if you currently are—have in the past or will in the future —serve God and others without joy.

We have lots to get through today.

Can I pray?

Let’s start with what Paul tells the church in Phillipi:

Philippians 2:1-18 - NIV Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

Before we go on I need to mention something that some of you may be experiencing or may be approaching. I know that portion of scripture can seem trite or overwhelming if you’re not in the right place. Specifically, I’m thinking about something called compassion fatigue.

A word on Compassion Fatigue

In my day job I work with capable and caring people who care for others. When I meet with them, one thing I listen for is compassion fatigue.

Define what it is:

Compassion fatigue is a state of physical, emotional, and psychological exhaustion resulting from the repeated, prolonged exposure to the suffering or trauma of others. This happens in caring professions and it happens in the church.

Signs you can pick up on:

Emotional and Mental signs:

Reduced empathy, mood changes, cognitive difficulties, hypervigilance or a negative self-view

Physical signs:

Profound exhaustion, stress-related ailments (headaches, gastrointestinal issues) Sleep disturbances, Appetite changes

Behavioural signs:

Social withdrawal, avoidance, loss of interest, unhealthy coping.

Different than burn-out.

• Burnout is typically related to work-related stress, feeling overwhelmed by workload, or feeling unappreciated in a professional environment.
• Compassion Fatigue is specifically rooted in the act of caring for others and being exposed to their trauma, leading to "secondary traumatic stress".
• What to do

When this happens, it’s important to always remember what they tell you in the airplanes—put your own oxygen mask on before helping the person next to you.

I’ve learned that if I can listen for signs of it and catch it early, we can mitigate disaster later on.

It’s like huge asteroids heading towards earth. Hollywood would have us believe we can blast them out of the sky when they’re right on top of us. But the resulting debris would still probably kill us. Those who—know more about math and space than I do—are working on gently nudging asteroids a long way out. Far enough out a gentle nudge is all you need.

So I listen for compassion fatigue and work to mitigate it in the moment and help the people I serve create plans to avoid it in the future.

I’m not talking about compassion fatigue today.

I need to mention it because my focus today is on understanding the spiritual and theological elements of serving with joy. And I would never pull out this list—that I’m going to give you today— if I was sitting across the table with you, hearing you may have compassion fatigue.

If I’m hearing you have compassion fatigue my role is to create safe space so you can self express your thoughts feelings and emotions with judgement, criticism or condemnation. You need to be heard. You deserve to be seen.

The message today is more about more about long-term far out nudging to avoid certain devastation. It’s not a hammer to pound you to do what I think is right—even though it might seem like it if you have compassion fatigue.

Back to Philippians 2

Philippians 2 describes God’s intention for the church. And it works, as we work it. We need to work it in the strength He provides.

We are to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. But in humility we value each other above ourselves,

This has to be a group effort. It doesn’t work if 10% of the people do it and 90% look out for their own interest. It doesn’t work if people are unseen or unappreciated as they submit to everyone else and nobody else serves anyone else. It’s not a dance unless we do it together.

Paul says:

not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

God has designed this to be so encouraging and it can be encouraging when it’s done in love. When someone stumbles we can pick them up. When they can’t walk together we can lift them up. All the while, together we are moving to the rhythms of his grace. It is beautiful, it is holy. It’s something like heaven will be. We’re serving one another in love.

Where are you?

I don’t know where you are today. I don’t know if you have compassion fatigue. I don’t know if you feel unnoticed and ignored. I don’t know if you’re in a season of waiting.

IF you feel unnoticed and ignored… I have one tip for you today.

I had someone in my first church that I noticed one Sunday in his regular spot. I hadn’t seen him for a while so I went up to him to say hi and ask him how he was doing.

“Terrible” he said. “I was in the hospital and no one came to see me.” I was shocked. “Did you tell me and I forgot?” “No.” Then I got curious. “Did you tell someone in the office and they forgot to tell me?” “No.” “Did you tell the elders of the church?” “No.” Then I remembered, “You have a Care Group that meets in your house, did you tell them? “No.” Then I remembered something else. “I had an hour long conversation with your wife this week, why didn’t she tell me?” “I told her not to tell you.”

I lost it. “That’s why James tells us if we’re sick to CALL FOR the Elders of the church to pray. How are we supposed to know if you don’t tell us? God has yet to lead me to a random hospital room to meet someone who could have told me they wanted a visit.”

It was funny. But how many times does that happen to us? We’d rather sit in the pew and be offended than bother someone for help—even when we need help. We’d rather keep on working because “Someone has to do it” instead of being a burden to others.

But God placed us together to carry one another burdens so so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).

If you are feeling you’re growing weary doing good TELL SOMEONE! We’re here to encourage one another. We’re here to build each other up. We will give you safe space to self-express your thoughts, feelings and emotions without judgment, criticism or condemnation.

Church, we can’t put ministries over people’s wellness. If you are serving anywhere and don’t feel supported or feel you need a break, you need to tell a pastor.

I would rather anything not get done than have people leave the church because they feel locked in and can’t get out without leaving the church.

What about waiting?

Now another thing that might be going through could be you’re in a season of waiting. I had a season where it felt I was put on shelf. No door would open. There was nowhere I could serve. Everywhere I was able to serve wasn’t given any support and instead there was conflicting priorities.

IF you’re in a season of waiting… I have one tip for you.

Times of waiting are not always easy times to get through. I think the best advice I’ve heard about a season of waiting is that “When you have to wait, be a like a waiter—and serve others.”

I’ll show you how to do it with joy.

I believe the key to serving with joy is to serve with our whole heart.

Serving with our Whole Heart

We’re told in Deuteronomy to serve the Lord with all of our heart:

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 NLT “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.

Remember the heart to the Hebrew thinker was the seat of the emotion—yes, but it was also the seat of the decision and the seat of the action. Our decisions, our emotions and our actions need to line up in order to be doing something with our whole heart.

So how do you serve with your whole heart?

Decision

Joshua 24:15
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
→ Service is a deliberate choice to follow God. And it’s a deliberate choice to serve others in love (Galatians 5:13).

Action

1 Samuel 12:24
But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.
→ Serving God is lived out through faithfulness in what we do.

We do what we say we’re going to do. We keep our word even when it hurts (Psalm 15:4).

Emotion

When we serve with our whole heart we have joy. (Acts 20:35, Psalm 100:2, 2 Corinthians 9:7, Philippians 2:17-18, Matthew 25:21)

→ Gladness and joy should characterize our service.

It’s more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35) When we serve others we’re serving God and we serve the Lord with gladness (Psalm 100:2). We know God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7) Even if we’re being poured out as drink offering we can be glad and rejoice (Philippians 2:17-18). We work to hear “'Well done, good and faithful servant! ... Come and share your master’s happiness!'" (Matthew 25:21).

Serve God and Others with our Whole Heart

When we serve God and others with our whole heart, a beautiful rhythm starts to emerge. We think of each other ahead of ourselves. We look out for each other’s interests. We do nothing out or selfish ambition or vain conceit. We honour one another, accept one another, serve one another, submit to one another, forgive one another, encourage one another, love one another.

This is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus - to have peace and hope and joy at all times and in every situation.

When we serve we should have joy.

When we don’t have the joy we need to be able to stop and access why we don’t.

Here are 6 Biblical Reasons Serving Can Lose its Joy

1) Serving becomes self-focused instead of God-focused Matthew 6:1
2) Pride and comparison creep in Galatians 6:4
3) Serving is done in human strength, not God’s strength 1 Peter 4:11
4) Serve others with wrong expectations Luke 6:35
5) Sin, bitterness, or resentment enters the heart Hebrews 12:15
6) Love grows cold Matthew 24:12

What’s the solution?

That’s a great question, I’m so glad you asked.

On top of all the difficult things I had to do this week, I got to enjoy developing the Be JOYFUL Serving Tool

J – Jesus-focused
O – Operate humbly
Y – Yield to God's strength
F – Free expectations
U – Unclutter your heart
L – Let love grow

Let’s unpack the Be JOYFUL Serving Tool

J – Jesus-focused

When service is done mainly for recognition, appreciation, or a sense of worth, it can become draining. When serving becomes self-focused instead of God-focused, joy disappears. Jesus warned in Matthew 6:1, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.” Our joy is lost when service is about impressing people rather than pleasing God.

Selfish ambition - Selfish ambition is saying or thinking “I need to look good or I need to avoid looking bad.”

I think that too often we do things because someone expects us to do it. We do it look good to them. Unfortunately, that’s often pastors or parents or kids or siblings putting on the pressure.

How to keep your joy:

Serve the way God wants you to serve, not the way others tell you should. Take the time to hear from Him. He’ll direct your steps.

Anytime someone asks you to serve—hey, can you get the garbage or would you mind stacking the chairs—but committing to something for a season—train yourself to say “I’ll pray about that” then pray about it until you find peace in saying yes or saying no.

Whatever you do work for God

Colossians 3:23–24 — Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Do all you do to the glory of God

1 Corinthians 10:31 — So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Serve for Jesus’ glory, not for personal recognition.

Tip: Do everything for the glory of God. I’ve learned to preach to please God. If I end up pleasing you it makes sense if you’re pleasing God. Or I might be telling you what you want to hear. I don’t know the difference.

If you have lost serving with joy ask Holy Spirit:

Am I serving for the show?

O – Operate humbly

Joy fades when a servant starts comparing their role, results, or attention with others. Pride and comparison rob us of joy. Galatians 6:4 says, “Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else.” Joy drains away when we compare or compete instead of serving with humility.

Remember Selfish ambition is saying or thinking “I need to look good or I need to avoid looking bad.”

Vain conceit is saying or thinking, “I deserve this”

How to keep your joy:

Practice humility and see yourself as part of one body. Humility is not putting yourself down, it’s seeing yourself as God sees you and treating others like they are made in His image.

Count others more significant than yourself.

Philippians 2:3–4 — Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Remember we are members of one body

Romans 12:3 — For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

Celebrate others and focus on your calling.

Tip: Comparison is the thief of joy. Gratitude is the gateway to grow. The easiest way to align your thoughts with God’s thoughts is to be grateful. Give thanks with your whole heart. Decide to give thanks. Feel grateful. Show appreciation to God and people.

If you have lost serving with joy ask Holy Spirit:

Am I comparing myself to others?

Y – Yield to God's strength

Serving in our own strength leads to exhaustion and frustration. 1 Peter 4:11 reminds us, “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides.” Relying on ourselves makes serving a burden rather than a blessing.

…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

How to keep your joy:

Rely on God’s power and rest in Him. Godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6

Isaiah 30:15 In returning and rest you will be saved. In quietness and in trust you will have strength.

Remember apart from Christ we can do nothing.

John 15:5 — “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Remember Jesus will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28–30 — “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Ask God daily for His power to serve.

Tip: Stick to your capacity—knowing that changes over time and circumstance. God has given you everything you need for life and godliness. You live by the spirit so keep in step with Holy Spirit.

One of the hardest things I’m still dealing with is my capacity to work.

If you have lost serving with joy ask Holy Spirit:

Why am I so tired?

F – Free expectations

If we expect gratitude, fairness, or success in return, disappointment can kill joy. Joy is lost when we serve with the wrong expectations, hoping for praise or repayment.

Jesus said in Luke 6:35, “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.” Serving with strings attached leads to disappointment.

If that’s how we’re supposed to treat our enemies, how should we treat our friends. If we feel slighted or overlooked, it’s up to us to go talk to them. Do it for reconilitation’s sake.

How to keep your joy:

Do the good you know you should do and trust God with the results.

Galatians 6:9 — Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Work for the Lord

1 Corinthians 15:58 — Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Serve freely, expecting nothing but God's pleasure.

Tip: Whatever you do work with your whole heart as unto the Lord. Encourage others and you will be encouraged. Bless others and you will be blessed.

We need to encourage and build each other up. But while we can enjoy it from others, our greatest encouragement needs to come from God.

If you have lost serving with joy ask Holy Spirit:

Do I seek my validation from others?

U – Unclutter your heart

If hurt, anger, or unforgiveness take root, service can feel heavy and joyless. Sin, bitterness, or resentment choke out joy in serving. Hebrews 12:15 says, “See to it that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” An unexamined heart quickly turns service into drudgery.

How to keep your joy:

Root out Bitterness

Hebrews 12:15 “See to it that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”

Bitterness is sneaky—it can start small and quietly poison your heart. The Bible tells us to actively watch for it, uproot it early, and not let it spread. Unforgiveness left unchecked always drains joy from service.

Bring Your Burdens Into the Light

James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”

Don’t suffer in silence. God designed the church as a family to support one another. Sharing your hurts breaks the power of isolation and invites healing and encouragement.

Regularly confess, repent and forgive, and keep your heart clear before God.

Tip: Risk sharing your frustration with others. Don’t give your frustration to everyone and anyone. Choose people of wisdom. How do you know people of Wisdom? James 3:17 - wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favouritism and is always sincere.

If you have lost serving with joy ask Holy Spirit:

Is bitterness affecting my service?

L – Let love grow

When love grows cold, service feels hollow. Paul taught us: “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13 Without love, service is just routine and loses meaning.

How to keep your joy:

Repent and do the things you did at first

Jesus told the church in Ephesus to “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches. (Revelation 2:4-5).

When we lose our love we need to repent and do the things we did at first.

Remember what love looks like

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Tip: Ask God to renew your love for Him and others daily. For specific people- Ask God to help them. Intercede for them and give thanks for them. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 That changes your heart towards them and allows you to serve in love.

If you have lost serving with joy ask Holy Spirit:

Has my love grown cold?

Conclusion

When we serve God and others we should do it with our whole heart and have joy. When we lose the joy in serving, these questions can help us know what we’re to do.

Questions to nudge you to safety

Am I serving for the show? See - Matthew 6:1
Am I comparing myself to others? See - Galatians 6:4
Why am I so tired? See - Matthew 11:28
Do I seek my validation from others? See - Galatians 1:10
Is bitterness affecting my service? See - Hebrews 12:15
Has my love grown cold? See - Revelation 2:4-5

God has given us the tools of confession and repentance to allow us to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Confession is agreeing with Him that it’s sin. Repentance is changing our minds and doing the exact opposite. (We need to repent with our whole heart.)

Will you enjoy service? Will you agree with God that he’s given you everything you need for life and godliness? With you throw off everything that hinders you serving God and others with your whole heart? You may need to give up stuff that you’re doing to look good or avoid looking bad.

God is calling us to a wonderful, reaffirming, self-effacing, rhythmic dance of joy when he tells us to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13)

Get help if you experience compassion fatigue. I firmly believe those hurt in community are best healed in community.

The end of my week

I knew I had difficult conversations at the start of the week. I didn’t know about the heart breaking conversations I had later in the week. I put my phone on do not disturb, knowing I may have crisis calls coming in at some point.

We need to encourage and build each other up. We need to share our burdens for each other to know. Sometimes it’s just giving each other safe space to self-express their thoughts, feelings and emotions without judgement, criticism or condemnation. Sometimes we can pray peace and quietness into each other’s souls. We need to give each other permission to do that. I’m not saying everyone needs to tell everyone everything—use wisdom in this. Seek people of wisdom and use some social awareness to know when a good time is to share.

End with a Blessing

Romans 15:5 (NLT) May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus.

Can I pray?