Serving Others is Hard! By Dr. Lynnette Simm

We have all heard about the blessings of helping others, but let’s be real. It can be difficult. Serving others takes time, money, effort, forethought, motivation, desire, and initiative—just to name a few.

We have to put others before ourselves.

We have to assume they want, need, or appreciate our help.

We have to place our insecurities aside.

And we have to do all this with a smile. Ugh.

Serving others is hard.

This weekend I had to do all this! It was exhausting, and at times it seemed like a waste—of my life, time, effort, etc. But something truly amazing happened to me over this weekend. I learned that serving others is important and valuable. Wow, did I learn.

I also learned that the enemy of our souls makes helping others hard so that we quit or don’t even try. The enemy wants to sow discord and build up slights. The enemy doesn’t want us to reach out, console, encourage, or love on each other. You see the truth was after I did all this work for others I was tired. It was a long weekend, but I was what could be called “happy tired.” I gave food, hugs, words, and love and I was wiped. Yet, I was blissfully happy.

There were people that we, as a team, helped and loved on. We shared life with others and focused on what brings us together, Jesus. The emotions were high all weekend, but Jesus was higher. He filled each conversation with love. He soothed achy bones and brought peace. 

I won’t lie and say helping others is all good, but the truest reward is. After all the hard work is done, what remains is kindness, generosity, grace, and love. And these, my friends, are worth all the hard work. Because in the end, we are stronger together and the enemy knows that. That’s why he tries to discourage and divide us. But praise God, through Christ, we have the power to defeat the enemy as we continue to love on, and help God’s people.

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them (Hebrews 6:10).