11 Ways to Serve the Lord with Gladness

Serving God should bring joy to your heart! He is the source of ultimate joy and peace, and entering into His service is the best way to live your life.

Here are 11 verses that can help you serve the Lord with gladness.

#1 Serving the Lord is a joyful thing to do

Psalm 100:2 says…

“Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!”

We are commanded not only to serve and worship God but to do it joyfully. God’s light in our lives is the ultimate cause for joy and fulfillment, so it is only natural that we should not only serve Him, but invite others to do the same. We can enter into His presence with praise and glorify His Name knowing that our service is to the God Who has saved us.

#2 Wholehearted obedience can make your heart glad

Deuteronomy 11:13 says…

“And if you will indeed obey my commandments that I command you today, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul…”

Your Christian walk is not meant to simply be a part of your life; it is meant to guide every aspect of how you live, speak, and act. In several places throughout the Bible, we are commanded to love and serve God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Living a life of faith involves the entire person – your thoughts, your actions, your beliefs, and everything in between. This is the way to live a life that reflects a wholehearted devotion and love for God.

#3 Remain steadfast in your obedient service

1 Corinthians 15:58 says…

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

Our work will always yield a good return, so we should be diligent and faithful to remain in God’s service our entire lives. We are promised throughout Scripture that God will not abandon us, and one way this proves true is that He will always bring about a result when His Word is preached.

Our part is to simply remain steady in our service. If we remain faithful to His will and His way for us, we can be sure to see the elements of His plans unfold in our lives.

#4 Remember that everything you do serves God

Colossians 3:23-24 says…

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

Ultimately, we are not serving other people through our work or our service. As Christians, we do what we do to honor God. He is the reason for everything we do, and the motivation that guides our actions. By submitting to the lordship of Jesus Christ, we acknowledge Him in our work and service and keep Him at the forefront of our minds as we go.

#5 Your service is a sacrifice of praise

Romans 12:1 says…

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

When we submit to God’s will and seek His goodness in our lives, we turn our bodies and our actions over to God as a sacrifice of praise. Rather than continuing the blood sacrifices necessary in the Old Testament, the sacrifice we can present by the blood of Jesus is a willing heart that is open to what God has in store for us. This is the truest and fullest act of worship we can give to our Father.

#6 We are appointed to serve God by Jesus Christ

1 Timothy 1:12 says…

“I thank Him Who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He judged me faithful, appointing me to His service.”

Becoming a Christian and yielding your life to Christ allows Him to give you the opportunity to serve His purposes. He will always give you the necessary strength to do what He asks of you, and if you remain true to what He has given you, you will be judged faithful and eventually given more and more responsibility in your service. This is an excellent way to grow in your reliance on God by faithfully serving Him where He has placed you.

#7 Our service is honored by God if we follow Jesus

John 12:26 says…

“If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.”

Jesus is the only way to restore our relationship with God, and so He is the only way we can truly serve God as well. Following Jesus as our Lord and Savior not only means that we trust Him for our salvation, but also that we yield to His plans for our lives over what we desire on our own.

By doing this, we gain honor for ourselves – and, of course, our worshipful hearts should always return that honor back to God in gratitude for how He has saved us.

#8 Being a servant is better than ruling over others

Matthew 20:27 says…

“And whoever would be first among you must be your slave.”

Many of us seek positions of authority and power in this life. This is not the way Christ taught us to live.

Jesus consistently preached that we should serve others and seek their good over our own. Rather than making it the goal of our lives to dominate others, we should instead find ways to serve them and make less of ourselves. This selfless service will be an effective witness for the Gospel because we are simply imitating the sacrificial, service-oriented life of Jesus Christ in everything we do.

#9 Always be willing to serve God when He calls you

Isaiah 6:8 says…

“And I heard the voice of the LORD saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’”

Isaiah’s vision is a popular passage in the Old Testament. It is important to note that it begins with Isaiah’s wholehearted worship and his purification by God – we should be quick to accept God’s cleansing before we can be fully prepared to do His work.

Once He has made us fit for His service, we should be equally quick to respond with an open and willing heart when the opportunity presents itself.

#10 God is the source of our strength

Philippians 4:13 says…

“I can do all things through Him Who strengthens me.”

This is a popular favorite with athletes, business professionals, and many other believers. It typically refers to God’s ability to strengthen us for whatever we set our minds to.

While this is true, it is important to read the rest of the letter to the Philippians to more fully understand that God’s preparation and provision are sufficient for any life circumstance. We can do anything, go through any trial, and embark on any service in the power and strength of our Father.

#11 Remember what God has done for you

1 Samuel 12:24 says…

“Only fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things He has done for you.”

The prophet Samuel led the nation of Israel faithfully for most of his life. In his farewell address, he admonished the people that they should faithfully serve God as they entered into a new era of kingship. By keeping God as their focus even with a human king, they could be reassured of God’s love in their lives.

God gives us the strength to serve Him, and gives us joy as we do. Remember His blessings and His promises as you seek to serve Him in your own life.

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Author Bio
Natalie Regoli is a child of God, devoted wife, and mother of two boys. She has a Master's Degree in Law from The University of Texas. Natalie has been published in several national journals and has been practicing law for 18 years.