A Prayer for Serving Others With Joy
By Greg Laurie
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” - Psalm 139:14
When I started going to church, it was a whole new world to me. I had no knowledge of the Bible or church in general. I wasn’t raised in the church as a child, although I had been to church a few times. I was unfamiliar with the way Christians thought and reasoned. And I was certainly mystified by the rather cryptic language they used with one another. They spoke of blessing and conviction and burdens and discernment. I wanted to learn the language. I wanted to learn more about the Lord. And, most importantly, I wanted to have this relationship with God. I just couldn’t get enough.
Then there were my old friends. I wanted to be a Christian, I wanted to learn the Bible, and I wanted to know God, but I still wanted to fit in with my friends. To be thought of as a fanatic was the one thing I dreaded above all things. For a short time, I tried desperately to live in both worlds. But I quickly found out that just didn’t work.
God was changing me, and I wanted to reach out to other people with the message of the gospel. I wanted to be used by Him. And as I have often said, next to being a Christian, the greatest joy that I know in this life is serving the Lord. It’s having God direct your steps. It may be preaching, or it may be a one-on-one conversation where the Lord is guiding and directing.
But it amazes me that the Creator of the universe, the Almighty God, would condescend to work in our lives and say, “I want to direct you to go over here and do thus and so.” It is the highest privilege conceivable that God would want to use us.
Lord, thank you for letting us work with you to share your joy with the world. Help us not take for granted the gift it is to share you gospel to the nations, and to our neighbors. Help us have eyes to see the needs around us and to respond to those needs in joy and hope. Thank you so much Lord for your love and care over us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
*The following is an abridged version of Life’s Second Greatest Joy by Greg Laurie. To read the full article, follow this link.
Related Resource: Starting 2026 with Intention: Confidence, Diligence, and God’s Direction
As we begin a brand-new year, I want to help you slow down and listen for God’s invitation in your life. In this episode, we kick off our One Word 2026 series — a simple, prayerful way to reflect on where you’ve been and discern how God may be inviting you to grow in the year ahead.
I introduce the heart behind choosing a spiritual “one word,” not as a goal to achieve, but as a posture to receive. We explore two of the six words I’ll be offering this month — confidence and diligence — and look at how Scripture invites us to grow, not by relying on our own strength, but by trusting God’s faithfulness over time.
This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
