Service towards God and Others

We’ve been exploring three attitudes that St. Ignatius of Loyola suggests as ways of entering into life with a sense of purpose and direction. In the previous post we talked about the attitude of Reverence towards God. If this post is helpful feel free to go back a few posts. We will now be speaking about an attitude of service towards God and others. 

It’s worth noting that service is not servitude, or replacement. True Service is towards God must first include the acknowledgement that we are not God, and the world is not ours to save. That would be replacing God. On the other extreme is servitude, that is done without freedom. True service includes acknowledging what I am better able to help with. It includes discernment. 

When we serve others we are not called to replace them or feel enslaved. True service means finding the sweet spot where we look outside ourselves and lend a hand. Replacing others is doing more for them than they do for themselves; that’s the recipe for toxic dependence. Feeling trapped is not the way we are called to help either, that will only lead to resentment and not acknowledging our own needs. True service is the key to a happy fulfilled balance in our lives. 

When we serve others the right way we live our true calling. We remember that Jesus came to serve, not to be served. When we serve others we respond to so much that God has done for us. When we serve we use the gifts of God for others, and not only do we find ourselves, but we find God. It’s worth every ounce of struggle to get it right.