Tuesday's Two Cents - Joy in Serving

Where does your joy in serving the Lord come from - men or God?

If your joy in serving the Lord comes from men, or is tied to men to any degree, it will be vulnerable to waning, and perhaps even disappearing altogether. This leads to hurt, discouragement, and even burnout. If your joy in serving the Lord comes from God, then that joy will be as eternal as God is, as consistent as God is, and as fulfilling as He is.

Consider Martha. She lost her joy in serving (Luke 10), because her focus was on Mary's apparent non-service. Consider Elijah. He asked God to take him home even after one of the strongest victories any man of God has ever witnessed, because the wicked queen Jezebel had threatened his life. Since her crosshairs were on his scalp, his joy in serving the Lord was zapped.

Now consider Jesus, who came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many. His joy in serving was not in being appreciated, not in our obedience or believing in Him. His joy in serving the Father was entirely rooted in the Father's attributes and "the joy that was set before Him."

What an example for us. Let us ask God to help us maintain a healthy focus on Him, directing our service toward His glory and His notice - the audience of One.