Here are some more thoughts on volunteering from Ashlea's personal blog.
“And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.” Titus 3:14
January is a time for new beginnings, a time of creating new resolutions for the betterment of yourself. I make yearly resolutions, and normally they’re things to keep me from being idle, but not necessarily spiritually focused. So this year, I created a certain goal that was Biblically-oriented: volunteer.
You see, God commands us to serve others. It’s not an option. I had been neglecting that commandment, putting it off and saying, “I’ll do it later.” Many of us forget that not only do we owe God our money, but we also owe Him our time. Volunteering is just one of the ways we can serve God, and it’s one of the many neglected service opportunities.
Because I work at a ministry where volunteers are a necessity, I see the issue of neglecting service first-hand. The majority of people who send in volunteer applications are people who say they have “too much time” on their hands, normally middle-aged women and retirees who are bored. Unfortunately, those aren’t good reasons to volunteer. We shouldn’t be volunteering just because we’re bored, rather because God calls us to it. God wants all of us to serve in some capacity, no matter how busy we are, whether we work full-time, or whether or not we are moms with little children. We all owe it to Him, whether we volunteer with an organization or give of our time outside of an organization. We all should be serving in some capacity.
Maybe you’re like me, and have put it off too many times. Or maybe you think you don’t have time. But remember, Christ saved you from your sins, gave His life up for you, and in doing so, chose to serve others and not Himself. You owe it to Him.
Dear Lord, guide us into an area of ministry to serve You. Lead us into the place where you can best use us. Amen.
Take Action
Prayerfully consider volunteering or giving of your time in some capacity each month this year. If you feel you are too busy, evaluate how you spend your time. Sit down and make a list of everything you normally do on a weekly basis. We all have issues with spending our time unwisely and can weed out a few things. Find the best time to fit in some sort of service work, whether it be helping your neighbor mow their lawns, working at a food pantry, helping a widow in your church, or working to support a cause like stopping human trafficking. Remember, the work won’t ever get done if we all say, “I’ll do it later.”