Serving for Mental Health and Eating Disorder Recovery

Serving for Mental Health and Eating Disorder Recovery

“You were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
— Galatians 5:13

This verse changed my life. I won’t go into all the details of what God spoke to me through it, but it’s one that continually reminds me that freedom and service go hand in hand. We weren’t set free just to live for ourselves — we were set free to love others.

And one of the most powerful ways we love is by serving.

Serving others is at the heart of who Jesus is. It’s one of the highest callings God gives us — not flashy, not public, but humble and full of love. Every time we serve, we become a little more like Christ.

But here’s something I’ve learned: serving isn’t just about helping others. It’s also one of the most healing things we can do for our own hearts, especially in recovery.

How Serving Heals

Have you ever noticed how your world feels a little lighter when you do something kind for someone else? That’s no coincidence. God designed it that way.

When we serve, we step out of isolation and into connection. We lift our eyes off ourselves and begin to see others — and in doing so, we find perspective and hope.

I’ve seen this firsthand in my own journey. My eating disorder, anxiety, and depression were always worse when I was alone. When I isolated, the lies got louder. But when I showed up to serve — even in small ways — I felt my heart soften. It reminded me that I wasn’t the only one struggling. It reminded me that I still had purpose.

Serving interrupts shame and replaces it with purpose.

When You Feel Like You Have Nothing to Give

Maybe you’re reading this and thinking, “That’s great, but I have nothing left to give.”
I get that.

But God isn’t measuring what you give — He’s looking at your heart.

Remember the widow’s mite? Many gave large amounts, but Jesus honored the woman who gave just two small coins, because it was all she had. (Mark 12:41–44)

If all you can give today is something small — a smile, a prayer, a cup of coffee for your husband, breakfast for your kids when you’d rather stay in bed — that’s still service. That’s still love. And God sees it. He delights in it.

Serving doesn’t have to look like leading a ministry or volunteering every weekend. It might simply mean choosing to love in the little moments God puts in front of you.

Simple Ways to Serve

Ask God to show you how to serve right where you are. It might look like:

• Donating a few cans to your local food pantry

• Baking extra cookies for a neighbor or nursing home

• Checking in on a friend who’s going through a hard time

• Doing a chore for your spouse without being asked

• Making your child’s favorite breakfast, even when you’re tired

Small acts done in love can have eternal impact. You may never see the ripple effect, but I promise — God does.

Serving and Recovery

Serving doesn’t erase pain overnight, but it creates space for healing.
When you bring joy or relief to someone else, something shifts inside you too. You begin to see yourself not through the lens of brokenness, but through purpose.

Friend, your healing and your calling are deeply connected.
Serving is one of the ways God draws us closer to His heart — and often, it’s how He pulls us out of the pit and into freedom.

So, if you’re walking through recovery today, I encourage you: serve anyway.
Start small. Be faithful.
And watch how God uses your willingness to heal not just others, but you too