Service or Busyness?

Learning from Hannah this past week in my "Make Over" book study. 

I remember identifying with her pain in longing for a child during the year that we tried to conceive our first born as well.  It is not an easy thing to go through.  Then, I remember being amazed at even trying to grasp her ability to give Samuel up after God finally answered her prayers. What an act of service that was, brought out through a heart of worship and gratitude in Hannah.  Hannah gave up the thing she longed for most in life because she was so thankful for it.

The author urged us throughout the week to think about our services.  What do we do that we perceive as a service or sacrifice of our own to God.  Are we truly doing these things to serve God, have fellowship with Him and to bring Him glory?  Or are we doing them because we think we have to?  Or we want others to be impressed by our service or not be ridiculed for our lack of service?  Or because we think God wants us to do things for Him in order to gain his approval?

I know I have fallen into each one of these false types of service.  "Playing church" is one way the author put it.  Busyness is how I think of it.  And one look at my calendar and you would know that I have plenty of that going on.

Honestly, I can't explain why I do some of it.  Possibly just because I enjoy it and want to be involved? 

Just to list my busyness to give you an idea :I serve on our MOPS steering team, sing in choir, act in our drama productions, 'lead' a Bible Study, volunteer in the nursery at church, serve as a greeter with my husband and too many other things outside the church as well. 

I can tell you the nursery thing is not out of a heart of service to God, but a "I think I need to help out because I use it for my kids" type of thing.  I need to work on my heart for that one for sure.

The other ones have me stumped though. ( Is it not a good sign if I don't know exactly why I do them?)  I absolutely love to sing and do the drama stuff and getting worship God while doing so makes it even more amazing.  But do I do it solely to give back to God because He gave me a talent?  I don't know.  I struggle with knowing on that one because I enjoy it so much.  But at the same time, God means for us to enjoy it.  Help me out here.  I don't know the answer.

MOPS is one that could fall into two categories for me.  I want to share God with other moms and fellowship with them at our meetings, but I also love to be involved with the planning end of things.  Sometimes I can feel so frazzled and busy with what needs to be done that I forget to enjoy it.  Granted, I try to stop myself and remember why I am doing what I am doing, and it doesn't get that busy too often.  But does this qualify as busyness and not service when I feel this way? 

Ack!  I think I need some time to really evaluate my heart in my service areas.  I don't think I am doing any of them for the wrong reasons, but I think my heart could be in a better place for some of them.  How do we know if our heart is in the right place?  How can we make sure that what we are doing is simply an act of worship to God and not a selfish ambition?  Any ideas?  I'm stumped.

Father, she got me good on this one.  I don't know the answer.  Help me find it.  Open my eyes.  Help me evaluate each of the things I perceive as a service to you and make sure that it is an act of worship and not just busyness.  I want to give back to you out of the overflow you have so graciously given me.