God created us as unique individuals, endowing us with gifts and abilities in order that we would serve His purpose for our lives. Part of your uniqueness is your motivation; the abilities and passion you have for any given task. Our God-given abilities and desires are designed for His glory, and when these two things combine to complete a task or serve the body of Christ it creates a sense of joy and satisfaction.

I think of a man in the Bible named Bezaleel. The Lord gave him skill in metallurgy so that he was able to craft the articles of worship in the tabernacle. David’s servants are described as having certain abilities that were used in the temple service. Asaph, for example, had musical abilities that he used to establish the praise offerings and to train singers for the temple choir.

The questions I would like to pose to you are these: Are you serving the Lord according to the passion of your heart? Are you serving the body of Christ with your God-given abilities? What is it in the church that you have the ability and passion to do? Or do you feel like you’ve lost your passion and no longer have the drive to serve according to your basic motivation?

It’s easy to lose motivation. Men often lose motivation when they’re physically exhausted. Schedule and time pressures keep many men from actively serving within the church. Some men feel like they’re not really qualified to serve because of something in their past. I think of Peter who, after his denial of Jesus, gave up and determined to return to his boats and fishing business. Maybe you’ve attempted to serve in the past and things didn’t turn out like you expected and your disappointment has got you sidelined.

Let me encourage you to try again. You might also talk with your pastor to determine where you would best fit in actively serving the Lord’s church. Involving yourself in ministry in accordance with your motivated abilities will do three things for you.

1. You will serve with joy.

It’s difficult to get excited about doing something you don’t feel qualified to do or something you have no passion for. Serving according to your abilities and passion creates an enthusiasm for it. In fact, the word “enthusiasm” literally means “in God,” and it’s exciting to realize you’re doing what God created you to do.

But there is a caveat about this. Service for Jesus isn’t merely doing what you love but loving what you do. Ministry demands often create frustrating situations and even conflict with others. What will keep your attitude in check is doing what you’re doing “as unto the Lord.” Remember that He who gave you the ability and passion to perform certain tasks will reward your faithfulness.

What will keep your attitude in check is doing what you’re doing “as unto the Lord.”

2. You will serve more effectively.

We’ve all seen this. People who have a passion and ability for what they do get things done. They’re focused on the goal and on completing the task at hand. They also serve with confidence knowing they are qualified for that task.

3. You will find satisfaction in excellence.

There’s nothing wrong in taking pride in one’s accomplishments when the passion that drives them is the honor of Christ. There is a deep satisfaction in doing something well and knowing you’ve given your best for Him. So, I encourage you to examine your strengths, explore the possible areas where you might serve, and then step out in faith to do your best for Jesus.