If you want to see and experience the powers of Heaven first hand, start praying for opportunities of service.
Last month in a Relief Society lesson we were challenged to do just that – pray for opportunities to serve. The more I pondered this worthy request, the more I came to realize that there are few things that have greater potential to bless, perfect and empower our lives than serving our fellowman; so I decided to accept the challenge.
I soon found out that every time I prayed to be of service – the opportunity presented itself. I remember the first morning I prayerfully asked to be of help to someone. I had no sooner risen from my knees, than I received a phone call from a troubled young woman asking for help with a problem she was having. This was the first of many opportunities that followed.
I have thought a lot about the extraordinary Heavenly response that comes when praying for opportunities to serve, and I have concluded that not only is the Lord anxious to use our desire to bless and care for His children in need, but He knows it is by serving others that we become like Him – and He wants us to become like Him!
“Come follow me is Jesus’ invitation to all, “Do as ye see me do.” Thus serving one another becomes paramount to our discipleship and progression. “Indeed, the very usefulness and meaning of our lives depends upon our willingness to serve others.” (Even As I am, Elder Neal A. Maxwell)
President Monson, the ultimate example of selfless service, says “To find real happiness, we must seek for it in a focus outside ourselves. No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellowmen.” (Discourses of Thomas S. Monson, Pathways to Perfection.)
Service – Path to Discipleship
Elder Joseph B. Wirthin talks about the path to discipleship in his book Finding Peace In Our Lives. “When we subordinate personal interests out of love and give of ourselves with no thought of receiving in return, we are moving toward becoming true disciples.”
Prayerfully asking for service opportunities will put us on God’s errand, and as we respond to Heaven’s assignments we can be certain that the Savior is aware of any and all of our efforts. For He says “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40)
God Will Direct Our Efforts
A couple of weeks ago my husband and I decided to get away for the day, just the two of us. We took a beautiful drive up the coast and stopped in an affluent coastal community – home of the rich and famous – to have lunch. We dined in a beautiful Greek restaurant then sat in a lovely outdoor courtyard surrounded by high-end boutique stores filled with shoppers.
After relaxing and talking about how blessed we felt to be able to take an afternoon off and enjoy such a gorgeous place, we decided we’d better start back home in order to beat the summer coastal traffic. While my husband went to get the car, I lingered around the shops at the top of the parking lot.
When he turned around and saw me standing there, he approached me. He said that he was trying hard to find work but no one would hire him; he had no money and was very hungry. I reached in my purse, pulled out some money and gave it to him. He thanked me profusely, said “God bless you” and walked off. I was saddened to think that not one single person I saw him ask for help responded. I thought of all the times in the Book of Mormon when God’s prophets had to rebuke the rich for turning their backs on the poor.
The Prophet Alma warned the people of Zarahemla that to ignore the needs of others is a serious sin. “Will ye persist in the wearing of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of the world, upon your riches . . . Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better than one another . . .? Yea, and will ye persist in turning your backs upon the poor, and the needy, and withholding your substance from them?” (Alma 5:53-55, bold added for emphasis)
As I stood there thinking about this man, I had the overwhelming feeling (promptings of the Spirit) come over me that we needed to do more for him. Then I remembered praying that morning for an opportunity to serve someone; now my prayer was being answered.
When my husband arrived with the car, I explained what had happened and that I felt strongly we needed to offer more help. We drove around for a while looking for him and finally spotted him on a back road, headed out of town.
We parked the car; both got out, and then motioned for him to come over. When we explained that we were there to help, he looked at us in kind of a shocked disbelief; tears began to fill his tired eyes and started streaming down his face. Then suddenly he turned and walked about twenty feet away from us, stopped, looked up to heaven and started to pray.
Seeing his immediate outpouring of gratitude to God brought tears to my eyes. This humble and good man was a living example of President Monson’s phrase, “think to thank!” It was a lesson in gratitude that will stay with me forever.
Our decision to follow the spirit and administer to another’s needs strengthened my testimony of the Lord’s involvement in directing our efforts when serving His children. Even though the drive was beautiful and the lunch superb, it was my morning plea to be of help to someone, that brought our much-needed service to this downtrodden child of God. That was what the day was really all about!
A Fresher Perspective
Life is challenging at best! We all have problems that weigh down on us like a bag of bricks on our back.
But I have learned that when I am in the service of my fellowman, Heavenly Father eases my burdens. I find that I’m able to forget about my own troubles, even if just for a few hours, and I come away renewed.
President Kimball, who had tremendous trials in his life, gave us this wise insight into service. “I have learned that when we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective.” (Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, December 1974, pp. 2,5)
I recently read a great quote by an anonymous author. “If you want to feel better about your problems, and lighten the load from your own worries, go help someone in need. More often than not, you’ll come away grateful that you have your cross to bear and not theirs.”
The Sure Way
For those of us who feel we could never repay our Father in Heaven for all that He has blessed us with, praying for the opportunity to render loving, caring service to our fellowman is a good place to start.
“And behold, I tell you these things that you may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are truly in the service of your God.” (Mosiah 2:17)
By praying to be of service, then heeding the divine promptings of the spirit – which will assuredly come with such a righteous petition – we are choosing to place our feet firmly on the path that leads to the Savior and Eternal Life. For “Whoever will lose his life in the service of God (i.e. his fellowman) will find Eternal Life.” (Jesus Christ-Gifts and Expectations,” Ensign, Dec. 1988, 4.)
There are lots of things in this life that vie for our time, attention, energy and resources; some are worthwhile and some are not. It is up to us to decide which is which. But in the profound words of the Savior and Mother Teresa:
“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in. I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to see me.'” (Mother Teresa, Matt. 25:35,36)
DaveOctober 7, 2013
Beautiful Article. Only one correction. Our Savior was "The ultimate example of selfless service!"
Karen KallioinenSeptember 8, 2013
Your words brought tears to my eyes. I can testify of the joy it brings to serve others, as my husband and I find opportunities to assist others on a regular basis. Again, you written something of beauty that brings the Spirit.