Hello blessed one of God, I hope you’re fine by God’s grace.
As you probably already know I am extremely fond of worship music.
Today’s post is going to be directed to everyone who loves music and who loves God. Perhaps particularly to worship leaders, but also alot to people who want to make worshipping God a significant part of their lives.
The perfect song to introduce my theme of the day is “Only Wanna Sing” by Hillsong Young & Free.
There’re two big ideas which I would love us to discuss.
- Distraction, Disengagement and Worship
- Performance and Worship
Distraction, Disengagement & Worship
I’ll speak from my own experience. Ok, please don’t judge me. I am prayerfully working on these, and God will see me through in Jesus Christ’s Name. Ok?
I love singing and I love Jesus. It’s important for me to worship God, not only during the worship experience every Sunday but every day. I pray that God may help me with consistency.
The only thing is, at times, the more I sing the same song for a long time, the less I have my heart in the song. It becomes like a routine, and then I am unable to receive the blessing behind the lyrics. This happens when I make worship to be not about God but about myself (how I feel, what I want, how tired I am or not, my mood,my thoughts etc.)
Can anyone relate?
That’s what happens when we get too familiar with God’s Word or with Worship music. We begin to sing without giving God our full attention. We are honouring Him with our mouths but our hearts are far, far, far away for Him. For example, have you already been in Church, making your grocery list in your mind right in the middle of worship? Or thinking about what you’ll eat when you get out of Church? etc.
Matthew 15:8-9a NLT
‘These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce’
Our minds are more easily distracted when we are not putting in our hearts and intentionally focusing on what we’re doing. When you don’t focus on God while you’re worshipping, you lose sight, and you become unable to enjoy that beautiful moment, that wonderful song, all what the lyrics can teach you, because you are disengaged.
The song “Only Wanna Sing” clearly highlights the fact that it’s not only our lips and vocal cords which should be involved while worshipping God, but our whole hearts and minds (this is an exercise which demands discipline and being willing, but it’s definitely worth it). God wants our attention.
John 4:23-24 NLT
But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
Performance & Worship
Worship is an encounter with God not with your audience.
If you’re a worship leader, you’re definitely going to relate to this.
When you’re right in front of your audience, leading them in worship, of course you want to sound right ( God deserves excellence), of course you want the song to sound beautiful, of course you want to do things perfectly, but …
What happens when you start to focus more on yourself (your performance), and more on your audience (how they evaluate and appreciate your performance) than you focus on God ?
In other words, what happens when your performance matters more to you than the motives of your heart?
What happens when people’s validation and admiration of you, come before your ultimate call to worship God?
I’ll try to report this sentence as I remember it, the best way possible:
“It’s not about me, it’s not about how I sing, these people aren’t here for me, they’re here to worship Jesus”
-Taya Smith
Just to say that the song ” Only Wanna Sing” is the cry of a sincere heart to worship God completely. Not for performance, not for feelings, not for people’s validation or attention, not out of obligation or routine, not in distraction, not for any type of pride or fame, but just for Jesus.
May God help us so that everytime we worship Him, it may be sincere, wholeheartedly and willfully, and that we may be focused on Him, so that we enjoy every moment we spend worshipping Him.
Matthew 22:37 NLT
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’
May we learn to worship for an audience of One ( God ) just like kind David did.
2 Samuel 6:14, 20-22 NLT
And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!” David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord , who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord , so I celebrate before the Lord . Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!”
Exercise
- Think of times where you did something but your mind was only focused on people’s opinion on your performance
- Ask God to help you to focus only on Him while you’re worshipping Him sincerely
- Ask God to help you worship Him with all your heart
Prayer
Father Lord God King of kings and Lord of lords, I confess that too often in my life, I care so much about others’ validation, or my own issues that I fail to enjoy peaceful wonderful worship moments with You. Help me focus on You, worship You whole heartedly, and worship with excellence for an audience (and for the approval) of One; You, in Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen.
It’s Now Your Turn
What’s your favourite Worship song? Please let us know in the comments section.
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Thank you so much for reading, you are blessed and highly favoured.
God bless you
Victoria Eyog
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