As we continue to consider practical steps to respond godly in a crisis, today, we pick up our second response (you can catch up here if you are new to this series or you have missed anything). In the last post, we talked about how prayer anchors us in crisis – seeking God’s wisdom and surrendering to His will. Today, we take another practical step: Serving Others Creatively. It might sound counterintuitive when life feels overwhelming, but Scripture shows us that looking outward in a crisis is a powerful way to live out our faith.

The Apostle Peter helps us understand this truth: “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Peter wrote this to followers of Jesus Christ who were facing trials. Here, he reminds them that love – expressed through service – isn’t optional, even in hard times. So how do we do this – especially if we are in the midst of suffering? Let us explore what it means to serve others creatively in the midst of crisis.

The Temptation to Turn Inward

In a crisis – whether it’s a personal struggle, a family upheaval, or a broader storm – each one of us is tempted to focus exclusively on our own perspective. I understand it. When the waves crash, it’s natural to hunker down, replay the problem, and reflect on our own suffering – especially the hurt and burdens in it. But here is the catch: that inward focus often makes the crisis feel bigger. It compounds our pain, isolates us, and blinds us to God’s bigger picture.

Jesus flips this instinct on its head. Jesus teaches, “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it” (Mark 8:35). As New Testament followers of Christ, we are called to deny self and prioritize serving God and others – even when it is hard. Crisis does not excuse us from this; it amplifies the opportunity.

Creative Service in the Body of Christ

What does this look like practically? Look for ways to serve others creatively. The New Testament is packed with “one-another” commands – love one another, bear one another’s burdens, encourage one another (John 13:34, Galatians 6:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:11). These are not just nice ideas; they are impossible to fulfill outside of life in the body of Christ. Authentic relationships are the breeding ground for creative service.

Maybe a friend is grieving, and you drop off a meal with a handwritten note of Scripture. Perhaps your church needs help organizing aid for a community need, and you pitch in with a skill or simply volunteer whatever help is needed. Maybe it is as simple as listening – really listening – to someone else’s crisis instead of rehearsing your own. The point is to keep your eyes off yourself and on lovingly serving God and others – Love God supremely and Love Others Sincerely. When you do, something shifts: the weight of your own problem lessens.

The Paradox of Crisis

Here is the paradox: a crisis compounds when we fixate on it, but it lightens when we focus on others. I have seen this in my own life, in the lives of those in the church, and in counseling others. The more we obsess over, focus on, and consider our circumstances, the heavier they feel. But when we step out to serve – however small the act – God uses it to reframe our experience. In this way, crises become fantastic opportunities to creatively love others, not just burdens to endure.

Here is the ultimate example. Think of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in John 13. He was literally hours away from the cross – the ultimate crisis – yet, He bent down to serve. If He could do that, surely we, by His strength, can find ways to love others in our storms.

A Step Forward

So here is our challenge: to look for one creative way to serve someone else in the midst of our crisis. It does not have to be grand; start where you are. In all reality, it could be as small as thanking someone who is helping you and asking, “How can I pray for you?” – or even offering a word of encouragement to a struggling neighbor. The goal is to just look past your own situation and seek to serve someone else around you. You can begin by praying for eyes to see the need to creatively serve and a heart to meet it. As you do, watch how God uses it not just to bless others, but to steady you.

Here is why this works: shifting our focus changes our experience.

Consider these two illustrations in closing: if you’re prone to carsickness, how do you feel better on a curvy road? Typically, one sits in the front and keeps his eyes near the horizon. Certainly that same thing is true when you are seasick with waves moving you up and down. You keep your eyes up and looking at something stable. As in both these ways, the response to our personal crisis needs to be the same. If all you do is look down, look inward, or look just at the situation immediately around you, you will get “situation-sick.” Your suffering will compound. However, if you choose to look upward to see others around you that you can simply and creatively serve, your reaching out to serve others will benefit you as well.