How can you experience the LIVING, BREATHING Spirit of God and stand still? How can you feel the Lord’s mighty hand stirring a body of believers and keep your hands in your pocket?
This past week, I’ve been reflecting on the church as a whole. I’ve been focusing on worship because, if you know me AT ALL, that’s my heart. It’s my ministry. It’s my passion.
The focus of my reflection has been the church’s response when it’s time to worship through song. As a worship leader, I get so nervous leaving instrumentals in songs because the church is so unfamiliar with genuine worship. Everything is fine when we have lyrics to sing, but as soon as the moment of resting in the Spirit without speaking, it suddenly becomes awkward. People start looking around all confused when the Spirit moves. How can you literally stand in the presence of an all-mighty, all-powerful, all-knowing God and not feel anything? Why are we so uncomfortable with simply resting in His presence?
Sometimes, I take a glance into the congregation while leading a song. I see my fellow believers worshipping their hearts out, and then I see other believers who are staring at their phone or looking at their watch. I see those with their hands in their pockets, simply expressionless. HOW?! How can you stand in His presence and not crumble in AWE? How can you experience the most powerful man to ever walk the Earth and stand there with no reaction?
As a church, we HAVE to become comfortable with simply worshipping. It’s not about the praise team. It’s not about the band. It’s not about the choir. If it was about us, we would fail every time. Fortunately for us, there’s a higher purpose. There’s a Spirit guiding us allowing us do things we could never do ourselves. Worship isn’t about how you sound or how you look. I think the church has become so obsessed with our images that we fear what anyone who sees us might think. We think if we throw our hands up, we’ll be made fun of. We think if we sing off key a little too loud that we’ll be made fun of.
Worship is not an image. Worship is not embarrassing. Worship is praise to our God. Worship is a heart posture. Worship is a WEAPON. Worship is personal and powerful when it’s TRULY from the heart. Friend, I encourage you to examine your own heart and your own worship and assess your genuineness. And if you’re like the old me who struggles with what the people around you will think, be encouraged in knowing that your worship is not a show, but a shower of affection and love.
Your worship is an outpouring of what your God has done for you. Friend, I encourage you, the next time you sit in a worship service, reflect on every single thing your God has blessed you with. Allow the Spirit to take over and don’t hold back your praise.
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