Give yourself away through some kind of service. I’m convinced that to be spiritually and emotionally healthy and balanced, that everybody needs some form of service on at least a weekly basis, where they voluntarily give themselves away without receiving any personal benefit in return. I think you need it as a balance in our culture. I think everybody needs someplace. You have 168 hours this next week. God doesn’t want you to spend them all on yourself. But I think you need a place of service where you say, “I’m going to give myself away.”

 

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

There’s so many people who have an identity crisis today. Who am I? Where am I? Where am I going? Where did I come from? Why am I here? What am I supposed to do with my life? It’s very obvious. “Long ago He planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.” That’s what God wants to do with your life. You’re never going to find fulfillment in simply living for yourself. You find self fulfillment by giving your life away.

What’s your word? What’s the word that drives your life? Money? Success? Fame? Power? I want to suggest to you that those things will ultimately not satisfy. In fact, look at what Jesus said in Mark 8:35. Why should I care about serving others? “Jesus said only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it really means to live.”

If you’re not giving your life away, you’re just existing. You’re not living. Only those who give their lives away in service, know what it means to really live.

The world says, “Get all you can.” And Jesus Christ says the exact opposite — “Give all you can.” And in giving you understand what real life is all about. There is no greater fulfillment than giving your life away for the kingdom of God, for God’s work — helping others. You can write it down if you want an equation for happiness — The more helpful I am the more happy I am. Helpfulness and happiness go together. You’ve got 168 hours this next week. I challenge you to invest part of it in unselfish service somewhere — in your church, in your community, somewhere.