Woman to Woman: Why Do You Serve God?

One piece of advice I share often when someone wants to make a behavioral change, is knowing your "why" or making sure your "why" is the right one for you.

Bringing about lasting change through sheer willpower rarely happens. Truly having a solid motive for the change carries you through hard times and temptations to quit.

For example, if you decide to increase or begin a more faithful habit of reading your Bible, because you think you "should", God expects it, or worse, to look good; your new Bible reading habit will depart with the first bump you encounter.

On the other hand, if your desire for increasing or beginning a more faithful Bible reading habit rests in knowing God more deeply and understanding His Word better, you will likely achieve the new habit.

Let’s explore how having a focused “why” for serving God changes everything in our service for Him.

But Everyone isn't Called to Serve God

Actually, everyone is called to serve God.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

He created us for His work and those works are already waiting for us!

In fact, we serve Him even in the mundane things of life such as eating and drinking.

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

We all have opportunities for service every day; our "motives" determine how well we serve and how faithful we remain serving.

God Gives Us a Why

My motive for serving God through writing goes deeper than what I share here, but a big part of my “why” involves love walked out in obedience.

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Colossians 3:17)

Again, God puts this concept in the everyday realm for everyday people: all things we do in word or deed are to be done in Christ's name with thanksgiving! Remembering also,

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;" (Colossians 3:23)

Whether parenting children, working for an employer, ministering in a church, caring for our homes; we do all for God.

God Enables the Why

God is our why, but He also enables our why.

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:4-5)

We cannot do everything in word and deed in the name of Christ, nor labor in all we do for God in our own strength.

God's Kingdom is the upside-down kingdom! We serve by resting and abiding in Him, which results in our "why" bearing fruit, as we receive rewards for our obedience.

"Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:24)

Not everyone receives the calling of a writer, influencer, or minister in a hugely public way.

What He calls us to is faithful service every day in whatever is before us.

Think how different your job might look if you labored for God instead of your employer or yourself! Or your service to your family, which can feel like a thankless job on many days.

When we focus on our motive on loving God and loving others, it transforms the mundane into an act of worship, wholly pleasing to God.

Tell me, today, Why do YOU serve God?