Recently, I’ve been surrounded by loss. Friends battling cancer. Loved ones facing sickness that threatens to take them from us far too soon. It’s easy in times like this to feel hopeless—to wonder where the healing is, where the restoration went. And the truth is, in our human nature, we tend to latch onto the pain. The darkness feels heavier. The sorrow lingers longer.

But that’s not the full picture.

See, our flesh notices suffering quickly, but it often overlooks quiet joy. It overlooks those sacred moments where light still breaks through. Sometimes we’re so focused on our own sickness—physical, emotional, or spiritual—that we forget one of the most healing things we can do is look beyond ourselves and serve others.

That’s what my brother in Christ, Joe, did.

Even in the hospital, struggling to breathe, knowing his time was short—he never stopped pouring into others. He would sit, listen, encourage, and pray. You’d think he was the one who needed comfort, and he did. But he still chose to give comfort. He chose to love. He chose to serve.

And isn’t that exactly what Jesus taught us?

 

“But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

—Matthew 19:30

 

The world says, “Focus on yourself. Take care of your needs first.”

But Jesus says, “Lay down your life. Serve. Love. Trust Me with the rest.”

There is joy in obedience. There is light in serving others, even when your heart is heavy or your body is weak. When you lift someone else up, your spirit rises with them.

I found that to be true just the other night at a concert with my family. In the middle of so much loss, I laughed. I smiled. I watched joy reflected in the faces of those I love—and it filled something in me. And later, when I gave up my spot so a few young girls could see the stage, I felt it again… that weight lifting. That peace. That purpose.

So today, if you’re feeling weary, I encourage you:

Don’t wait for the storm to pass. Serve in the storm.

Be the light you’re looking for.

You just might find that in giving, you’re healed.

 

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.”

—Psalm 119:105

 

- Rev Carlos Figueroa