15 ways to serve God by serving others
Serve God through your family
Serving God begins with service in our families. Every day we work, clean, love, support, listen, teach and continually give ourselves to members of our family. We can often feel overwhelmed by everything we need to do, but Elder M. Russell Ballard gave the following advice:
The key ... is to know and understand your skills and limitations and then stimulate yourself, allocating and giving priority to your time, attention and resources to help others wisely, including your family ...
If we lovingly give ourselves to our family and serve them with a heart full of love, our acts will also be considered service to God.
From tithes and offerings
One of the ways we can serve God is by helping his children, our brothers and sisters, by paying a tenth and a generous quick offer. Tithing money is used to build the kingdom of God on earth. Contributing financially to God's work is a great way to serve God.
The money from the quick offerings is used directly to help the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the strangers, the sick and the afflicted (see Matthew 25: 34-36) both locally and worldwide. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has helped millions of people through their incredible humanitarian efforts.
All this service was possible only through the financial and physical support of many volunteers, as people serve God by serving their fellowmen.
Volunteer in your community
There are countless ways to serve God by serving in your community. From donating blood (or simply volunteering at the Red Cross) to adopting a highway, your local community is in great need of time and effort.
President Spencer W. Kimball advised us to be careful not to select causes whose main goal is selfish:
When selecting the causes to which to dedicate your time, your talents and your treasure, be careful to select the good causes ... which will produce a lot of joy and happiness for you and for those you serve.
You can easily get involved in your community, just a little effort to contact a local group, charity or other community program.
Teaching at home and on a visit
For members of the Church of Jesus Christ, visiting each other through House teaching and Visiting programs is a vital way that we have been asked to serve God by taking care of each other:
Home teaching opportunities provide a means by which to develop an important aspect of character: love of service above oneself. We become more like the Savior, who challenged us to emulate His example: 'What kind of men should you be? Truly I tell you, just as I am '(3 Nephi 27:27) ...
If we give ourselves to the service of God and others we will be very blessed.
Donate clothing and other goods
All over the world there are places to donate unused clothes, shoes, dishes, blankets / quilts, toys, furniture, books and other items. Giving generously these items to help others is an easy way to serve God and make your home decay at the same time.
When you prepare the things you intend to donate, it is always appreciated if you only give clean and functional objects. The donation of dirty, broken or useless items is less effective and requires valuable time from volunteers and other workers as they select and organize the items to distribute or sell to others.
Stores that sell donated items usually offer much needed jobs to the less fortunate, which is another excellent form of service.
Be a friend
One of the easiest and easiest ways to serve God and others is to make friends with each other.
As we take the time to serve and be friendly, we will not only support others, but also create a support network for ourselves. Make others feel at home and soon you will feel at home ...
The former apostle, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin said:
Kindness is the essence of greatness and the fundamental characteristic of the noblest men and women I have ever known. Kindness is a passport that opens doors and makes friends with friends. Softens hearts and shapes relationships that can last a lifetime.
Who doesn't love and don't need friends? Let's make a new friend today!
Serve God by serving children
So many children and teenagers need our love and we can give it! There are many programs to help children and you can become a school volunteer or a librarian.
Former Primary leader Michaelene P. Grassli advised us to imagine what the Savior:
... would do for our children if he were here. The Savior's example ... [applies] to all of us who love and serve children in our families, as neighbors or friends or in church. Children belong to all of us.
Jesus Christ loves children and we too should love and serve them.
But Jesus called them to him and said: "Let small children come to me and not forbid them: for this is the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:16).
Cry with those who cry
If we want to "come into the fold of God and be called his people" we must be "willing to bear each other's burdens, so that they can be light; Yes, and we are willing to cry with those who cry; yes, and comfort those who need comfort ... "(Mosiah 18: 8-9). One of the easiest ways to do this is to visit and listen to those who suffer.
Asking appropriate questions carefully often helps people feel your love and empathy for them and their situation. Following the whispers of the Spirit will help us know what to say or do as we keep the Lord's commandment to take care of each other.
Follow the inspiration
Several years ago, when I heard a sister talk about her sick daughter, who was isolated at home because of a long-term illness, I felt compelled to visit her. Unfortunately, I doubted myself and the suggestion, not believing it was from the Lord. I thought, "Why would he want me to visit?" so I didn't go.
Many months later I met this girl at a mutual friend's house. She was no longer ill and as we spoke the two of us immediately clicked and became close friends. It was then that I realized that I had been requested by the Holy Spirit to visit this young sister.
I could have been a friend during her time of need, but because of my lack of faith I hadn't followed the Lord's prompting. We must trust the Lord and let him guide our life.
Share your talents
Sometimes in the Church of Jesus Christ our first response when we feel that someone needs help is to bring them food, but there are many other ways we can serve.
Each of us has been given talents by the Lord that we should develop and use to serve God and others. Examine your life and see what talents you have. What are you good at? How could you use your talents to help those around you? Do you like playing cards? You could create a deck of cards for someone who died in the family. Are you good with children? Offer to look at someone's child (s) in time of need. Are you good with your hands? Computer? Gardening? Construction? To organize?
You can help others with your skills by praying to help develop your talents.
Simple acts of service
President Spencer W. Kimball taught:
God notices us and watches over us. But it is usually through another person who meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom ... In the Doctrine and Covenants we read how important it is '... to assist the weak, raise their hanging hands and strengthen their weak knees.' (D&C 81: 5). Very often, our acts of service consist in simple encouragement or in giving trivial help in trivial tasks, but what glorious consequences can derive from trivial actions and from small but deliberate actions!
Sometimes it is enough to serve God to give a smile, a hug, a prayer or a friendly phone call to someone in need.
Serve God through missionary work
As members of the Church of Jesus Christ, we believe that sharing the truth (through missionary efforts) about Jesus Christ, His gospel, his restoration through Latter-day prophets and the publication of the Book of Mormon is of vital service to all. President Kimball also said:
One of the most important and rewarding ways in which we can serve our fellowmen is by living and sharing the principles of the gospel. We must help those we try to serve to know for ourselves that God not only loves them, but is always attentive to them and their needs. Teaching our neighbors the divinity of the gospel is a command reiterated by the Lord: "Because every man who has been warned to warn his neighbor" (D&C 88:81).
Meet your calls
Church members are called to serve God by serving in church calls. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught:
Most priesthood holders I know ... are eager to roll up their sleeves and go to work, whatever that job is. They faithfully perform their priesthood duties. They magnify their calls. They serve the Lord by serving others. They stay close and get up where they are ...
When we try to serve others, we are motivated not by selfishness but by charity. This is the way Jesus Christ lived his life and the way a priesthood holder must live his own.
To serve faithfully in our calls is to serve God faithfully.
Use your creativity: it comes from God
We are compassionate creators of a compassionate and creative being. The Lord will bless us and help us when we serve ourselves creatively and compassionately. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:
“I believe that while you immerse yourself in our Father's work, while you create beauty and you are compassionate with others, God will surround you in the arms of his love. Discouragement, inadequacy and fatigue will kick off a life of meaning, grace and fulfillment. As the spiritual daughters of our Heavenly Father, happiness is your inheritance.
The Lord will bless us with the strength, guidance, patience, charity and love needed to serve His children.
Serve God by humbling yourself
I believe it is impossible to truly serve God and His children if we ourselves are full of pride. Developing humility is a choice that requires effort, but when we understand why we should be humble it will become easier to become humble. As we humble ourselves before the Lord, our desire to serve God will increase considerably, as will our ability to be able to give ourselves to the service of all our brothers and sisters.
I know that our Heavenly Father loves us deeply - more than we can imagine - and if we follow the Savior's command to “love one another; as I have loved you "we will be able to do it. We can find simple but profound ways to serve God every day as we serve each other.