{"id":1866,"date":"2020-07-03T15:11:04","date_gmt":"2020-07-03T15:11:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourmorningcupofinspiration\/?p=1866"},"modified":"2020-07-03T15:11:04","modified_gmt":"2020-07-03T15:11:04","slug":"serve-with-a-joyful-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourmorningcupofinspiration\/2020\/07\/serve-with-a-joyful-heart.html","title":{"rendered":"Serve with A Joyful Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"serve\"<\/a>
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Life is full of obligations.\u00a0 There are lots of things that we have to do for others that are burdensome, unpleasant or just not fun.\u00a0 That is life.\u00a0 The question we have to ask ourselves is this: Will I serve with a bitter heart or a joyful heart?<\/p>\n

To give you an example, my daughter recently graduated from high school.\u00a0 She will be attending university in the fall, and admittedly, her college costs are expensive.\u00a0 Now my husband and I could sit around and lament the cost of her tuition and room and board.\u00a0 We could fret and complain to her about the expense.\u00a0 And I\u2019m sure lots of parents do exactly that.<\/p>\n

But instead, we simply told her, \u201cWe are delighted to pay for you to go to college.\u201d\u00a0 Period.\u00a0 No qualifications.\u00a0 She has been a straight A student and a wonderful daughter, and we are happy to do what we can to get her started on the path to adulthood.\u00a0 More importantly, my husband and I have decided to serve with joyful hearts<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Every time you perform an act of service, you have a choice as to how you will serve.\u00a0 You can moan and complain.\u00a0 Or you can serve joyfully.\u00a0 The choice is yours.<\/p>\n

When we serve with a poor attitude, it shows what kind of people we are.\u00a0 Stingy, ungenerous, lazy people whine and gripe when asked to do even the smallest thing for others.\u00a0 Mature people serve others quietly and happily, without kvetching.\u00a0 They simply enjoy being helpful.<\/p>\n

Of course, as human beings, we are naturally selfish.\u00a0 As a result, in order to serve joyfully, we have to overcome our baser instincts.\u00a0 We have to intentionally choose<\/em> to serve with a joyful heart in all that we do.<\/p>\n

Below are some ways to train your brain to be a joyful giver and a happy servant of others.\u00a0 Consider applying these approaches in your own life.<\/p>\n

Be Grateful That You Have the Ability<\/em> to Serve<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Joel Osteen often says in his sermons that when presented with a task, we shouldn\u2019t complain and say, \u201cAww.\u00a0 Now I have to do X.\u201d\u00a0 Instead, our attitude should be, \u201cWow!\u00a0 I get to do X<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 This is a simple but powerful shift in attitude which can move us from thinking negatively to thinking positively about our obligations in life.<\/p>\n

As a simple example, the next time you have to wash your dishes after dinner, don\u2019t think, \u201cUgh.\u00a0 Cleaning up after dinner is a hassle.\u201d\u00a0 Instead, consider how blessed you are.\u00a0 You had food this evening for dinner.\u00a0 Not everyone does.\u00a0 You probably had beautiful dishes on which to eat your dinner.\u00a0 Many folks in this world don\u2019t have such luxuries.\u00a0 And if you washed your dishes using running water and a dishwasher, you are well-ahead of millions of people in the world.\u00a0 And after you\u2019ve thought about all of that, you probably will say, \u201cWow.\u00a0 I get to wash these dishes!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

When you consider how blessed you are, then you will serve with a joyful heart, even when doing the most menial tasks.<\/p>\n

Consider Your Legacy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Life is a finite thing.\u00a0 None of us will live forever.\u00a0 What type of impact do you want to have on the earth during this life of yours?\u00a0 What do you want your legacy to be?<\/p>\n

Obituaries are a great way to learn how people lived their lives.\u00a0 That is because they are written by those who knew them best.\u00a0 I always find it interesting when an obituary is terse and gives little information about the person who passed away.\u00a0 That likely indicates that person did not do much to care for or inspire others.\u00a0 (Or maybe their relatives were just lazy.)<\/p>\n

Then there are those obituaries that reflect a life well-lived.\u00a0 You can see from the writing that the individual positively touched those around them.\u00a0 They loved, gave and cared for others with a generous spirit, and that comes shining through in the writing.<\/p>\n

So, while you are here on this earth, love, give and serve generously and joyfully.\u00a0 Love your children with reckless abandon.\u00a0 Care for your parents with sensitivity.\u00a0 Be gentle to animals and the earth.\u00a0 If you do these things, your legacy will be a good one. (Read more about the beautiful legacy that you can leave here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Stop Worrying About Being Taken Advantage Of<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The key to serving joyfully is to not keep score.\u00a0 If every time you do something for another person, you need them to thank you or immediately reciprocate in some way, you won\u2019t end up doing anything for anyone.<\/p>\n

Life ebbs and flows.\u00a0 Sometimes, we are in a position to be generous to others.\u00a0 Sometimes, we are in need, and others are generous toward us.<\/p>\n

For instance, when our children are young, we take care of them.\u00a0 We feed them, clothe them, and chauffeur them to various activities.\u00a0 We are responsible for them in almost every way.\u00a0 And our efforts aren\u2019t reciprocated at the time.\u00a0 They can\u2019t be.\u00a0 They are the kids, and we are the adults.\u00a0 So, we happily give to our young children without the expectation of anything in return.<\/p>\n

Then, as our children get older, the tables turn.\u00a0 With each passing year, good children help their parents more and more.\u00a0 That is the natural evolution of life.\u00a0 I often say that the hallmark of adulthood is when you finally stop asking your parents for stuff, and instead you say, \u201cMom and Dad, how can I help you?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, some people never reach that point.\u00a0 They just grow into large, middle-aged children who still keep running to their parents with their every little need.\u00a0 But most of us make that transition.\u00a0 And during the course of the parent-child relationship, no one keeps score as to who has done the most for whom.<\/p>\n

The same is true for our friendships.\u00a0 Sometimes we help our friends more, and sometimes they help us more.\u00a0 For example, I have a very good friend from high school who supported me when I was getting divorced.\u00a0 I frankly don\u2019t know what I would have done without him.\u00a0 During that period, I discussed my concerns with him and sought his advice regularly.\u00a0 And he always lifted my spirits with a joke (or two!).<\/p>\n

This same friend is a dad, and these days, I am able to reciprocate by offering advice whenever he has issues involving his kids.\u00a0 We\u2019ve been friends now for almost 35 years, and we don\u2019t keep score as to who is being the most helpful.\u00a0 We know that in friendship, there is a natural back and forth of support.<\/p>\n

So, give joyfully and freely.\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry about whether you are being taken advantage of.\u00a0 In the karma of life, kindness is always repaid, and in ways that we often cannot anticipate.<\/p>\n

We each have so many responsibilities and obligations toward others.\u00a0 We can view them as a burden, but why?\u00a0 Instead, serve others with a joyful heart.\u00a0 Give of yourself, your time and your resources freely and watch your happiness increase!<\/p>\n

Email: meerabelle@meerabelledey.com<\/p>\n

If you would like to receive my Free E-Book, “The Confidence Course,” and sign up for my weekly newsletter, go to meerabelledey.com<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Life is full of obligations.\u00a0 There are lots of things that we have to do for others that are burdensome, unpleasant or just not fun.\u00a0 That is life.\u00a0 The question we have to ask ourselves is this: Will I serve with a bitter heart or a joyful heart? To give you an example, my daughter…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":593,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nServe with A Joyful Heart - Your Morning Cup of Inspiration<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Our obligations often can feel burdensome. 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