Is Service Always REALLY The Answer?

One night this summer, I found myself in a bit of a funk. Actually, it was more than a bit. It was perhaps the funk of all funks. I felt that nearly every relationship I had was struggling and I was depleted trying to figure out how to do my life and fit all the people I cared about in it. I even, I’m embarrassed to say, texted a dear friend that night and said, "I'm done with people." I was sure the answer to my current state was just taking a break of some kind for a while.

The next morning one my fellow group members (in the mentor group I am apart of for the Connections Project—we’ve been mentoring a refugee family for the past 11 months), sent out an emergency email. Our sweet family had been impacted by a theft that left them penniless. The police reports had all been made and now they just needed help getting things sorted out with the bank. And there was a lot to figure out.

One of us needed to help.

But in addition to being on empty, I also knew my current calendar did not have time for something that would take more time. And I knew my fellow mentors knew I was busy, thus opening the door for me to reasonably ask someone else in the group to step up and help. So I politely replied that there was no way I could add that to my life. But within minutes of sending that email I seemed to hear a voice say: "You need to do this." Before I could even think about how ridiculous that was, I sent a new reply and took on the assignment.

It was as if I had to.

And so I spent the next morning talking them through what had happened, going to the bank (where miraculously what was supposed to take 2 weeks to get the money recovered back into their account took a little more than 2 hours) and sorting it all out. And when we were done, we all knew we needed to thank God for what He had done to help.

They were thanking the Lord for how quickly He had resolved this difficult matter for them. And I was thanking the Lord for how quickly He helped my heart.

Since then I’ve become the father’s drivers ed instructor (just hoping no one reveals my “issue” with speeding tickets) and have been helping them work out a budget so they can start to make some plans in their lives. I have loved getting further connected to their hopes and dreams in this new place them find themselves in.

My heart needed to help people—and people I could expect nothing from. My heart needed to lose myself in problems harder and bigger than anything in my world. These people have lost everything and experienced unimaginable horrors before coming to this strange new place. And being here has not been easy. The Spirit knew this was the only way for my heart to get out of its funk. That whole "when ye are in the service of your fellow men" thing is a true principle, even when you don’t want it to be.

I know that when we are in a funk or feeling overwhelmed, the last thing we often want to do is reach out and assist another of our brothers and sisters. I also know that sometimes we have to take care of ourselves before we can take care of anyone else. But, next time you find yourself in that space of being on empty, it really might be that the solution is as simple as focusing on the plight of someone else. There are needs all around us and not nearly enough hands to take care of all those who need a little extra love and attention. So here’s an invitation from someone who has been there. Just be open to the idea that serving someone might be exactly what your heart needs.

How are you participating in the TOFW Connections Project in your community? We'd love to hear more about it. Share your stories and experiences with us on instagram with #TOFWConnectionsProject !