It is my prayer that every Christian recognizes the importance of serving God through the way we serve others.  There are few things, if any, that are as emotionally exhilarating, and draining, as the task of serving others.  Having worked in a variety of ministry settings, including various roles within Christian camp ministry, I understand the excitement that often comes with the beginning of a new ministry or ministry season.  I also understand the weariness than can develop when our focus begins to drift away from the ministry of serving and onto ourselves.

This is day five in the third week of devotions from the book, “Serving God: Devotions for Active Worship”.  This devotional book is laid out in thirteen weeks of daily devotions with each week wrapped around an aspect of how we can serve others.  Each of these devotions are designed to help a person spend time with God to see how serving others is an act of worship.

Serving God:
Strength Through Weakness

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.“
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)

What is your greatest weakness?  Is your answer the same as what others would say is your weakness?  Do you tend to serve through that aspect of your life or do you try to avoid it and concentrate on the things you feel you are good at?  Who do you think receives the most credit when you serve out of your strength?  How about when you serve out of  your weakness?

I’m afraid of people.  To say I am shy would be a huge understatement.  Some people seem to gain energy when surrounded by people, I become filled with fear.  Yet it is out of this weakness that I find God doing great work as I serve obediently in a preaching and teaching ministry.  Because I have no confidence in my ability to speak in a public gathering, I must rely on the power and strength of God’s Spirit to use my weakness for the benefit of the kingdom.  Yes, God can use your strengths — He’s the one who gave them to you.  But He also seems to excel in using what you perceive as a weakness in order to reveal His strength through you.

As you pray, ask God to use your weaknesses to reveal His strength to those you serve.  Pray that He is seen in all you do.

In prayer,

Tom