“I want to serve God, but I don’t know what to do. How do I figure it out?” - Caroline

hey Caroline,

I applaud your desire to serve God! It can definitely be hard to find the right place to serve. But I’ve got some tips that could help.

1. Consider your talents and gifts. What is it you are good at and enjoy doing? It could be music, acting, sports, drawing, etc. If you’re not sure, that’s okay! Ask your parents or friends what talents they see in you. A lot of times they may notice gifts you didn’t recognize. But you have a talent, Caroline.

You also have a spiritual gift. The Bible says all Christians have a specific gift of the Spirit. It’s a special gift from God that enables you to reach others and it’s different from your talents. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11 gives a much better explanation than I ever could.)

But how can you know what gift you have? Lucky for us, they have tests for that sort of thing. (And don’t worry, there’s no grade.) You can find a good test, specifically for teens, here. It also has more info about the different gifts, along with verses to help explain each one.

2. Ask yourself how you can use that gift or talent for the glory of God. If you’re good at teaching people, help out with a Sunday school class or Bible study at your church. If you’re good with kids, consider volunteering for the nursery or do some free babysitting.

If drama’s your thing, see if your church has a drama team; if not, maybe you could start one. If you’re good with details, offer to help plan a church activity (Christmas special, outreach activity, etc.) Also, check out what’s available at your school. They might have a Christian ministry, like Campus Crusade or Fellowship of Christian Athletes, where you could serve.

3. Serve where you are. No matter where you are, Caroline, you can serve God by being a light to people around you. Look for opportunities to reach out to your peers at school or church. Be the friend who listens and encourages. If you’re there for other people, they’ll open up to you and you’ll be able to share Christ with them. Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities.

I hope that gives you some ideas, Caroline! I have no doubt that God has equipped you to serve Him. As you consider your talents and spiritual gifts, also take some time to pray. Ask God to reveal these things to you. I know He’ll be so proud of you for asking.

~ Halee

If you’re a Christian teen who likes to write, we’d love to read your work! You could even end up serving here as a guest writer. So send us an email!