Serving When It's Hard

Serving is such a beautiful thing, but if we’re honest, it can also be hard.
I have worked with youth in some capacity since my early 20s—so, for many years now! I am so blessed that I get to serve these young people. I truly love them. There have been nights when showing up felt easy: the room was full, the energy was high, and it felt like God was moving in powerful ways. But there are also times when things just don’t go as planned. Those nights are hard. Everyone is tired and cranky. What can I say? They are teens, and we all have difficult moments.
Those are the moments Galatians 6:9 speaks directly into.
Paul doesn’t say, “If you get weary.” He says, “Do not become weary,” because weariness is a real part of doing good. Serving week after week—whether in youth ministry, worship, setting up for 614, tech, leading a Bible study, or working behind the scenes—can slowly drain us if we start focusing only on what we see right now.
But God reminds us that there is a harvest.
In youth group, you don’t always see immediate results. A conversation you have today might not feel impactful to you, but after some time, a student may think back on what was said and how someone loved them enough to listen. In worship, the song you sing for the hundredth time might be the very song God uses to reach someone who walked in hurting and unsure. Serving isn’t about instant payoff—it’s about faithful obedience.

That’s why the song “Build My Life” by Pat Barrett fits this theme so well. The lyrics remind us that serving flows from worship:

“I will build my life upon Your love; it is a firm foundation.”

When our lives are built on Jesus, serving others isn’t about recognition or outcomes—it’s an act of worship. Even when we’re tired, and even when the fruit isn’t visible yet, we trust that God is at work beneath the surface. The harvest comes “at the proper time.”
God’s time. Not ours.
Serving requires trust—trust that God sees the unseen, values quiet faithfulness, and multiplies what feels small. When we sing, “I will put my trust in You alone,” we’re declaring that our perseverance comes from Him, not our own strength.
So, if you’re feeling worn down, discouraged, or questioning whether what you’re doing really matters, take heart. Keep showing up. Keep loving people. Keep serving with the strength God provides.