You weren’t created just to consume resources—to eat, breathe, and take up space. You were created to add to life on earth. God wants you to give something back.

The Bible says, “God . . . has created us for a life of good deeds, which he has already prepared for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10 GNT). These “good deeds” are your service to the world. Whenever you serve others in any way, you are actually serving God (see Colossians 3:23-24, Matthew 25:34-45, and Ephesians 6:7).

What God told the prophet Jeremiah is also true for you: “Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work” (Jeremiah 1:5 NCV).

When most people think of this “special work,” they think of professional clergy, but God says every member of his family is a minister. In the Bible, the words “servant” and “minister” are synonyms, as are “service” and “ministry.” If you are a Christian, you are a minister, and when you’re serving, you’re ministering.

Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t just immediately take us to heaven the moment we accept his grace? He leaves us here to fulfill his purposes. Once you are saved, God intends to use you for his goals. God has a ministry for you in his church and a mission for you in the world.