I love intimate times of worshipping God. I love to feel lost in God’s love for me. I love when God speaks His honest words of life, hope and healing. Often, these times happen at church during the worship (song) time.
Sometimes I get distracted from focusing on God during worship. I have two “go to” techniques in these moments I want to share. I am interested in what you do to enhance your worship time?
What do you do when the music just isn’t doing it for you?
Jason Ellsworth, a great friend and incredible worship leader (click the link to learn more), once told me, “music is a tool to lead us to worship.” That comment has stuck with me for many years.
Music is a powerful tool. In the church there are old and new songs that really resonant with me (these are often “songs I like”). And, there are old and new songs that do not really resonate (ok…let’s be honest, these are usually “songs I don’t like”).
The sad part is, some people actually like those “songs I don’t like”! (gasp!) Even worse, some people do not like those “songs I like”! Travesty!
My heart goes out to all the worship leaders!
When it comes to the age old debate about “what songs should be sung on Sunday”, there seems to be a few options to choose:
- List – Give the worship leader a list of “songs I like” and ask them to solemnly swear to only play those songs. OR,
- Liberate – Let the worship leader do their thing, while I allow the music to be a tool to focus my heart towards God (whether I like the song or not).
“Music is a tool to lead us to worship” – Jason Ellsworth
Let’s be honest, the music is usually not the reason you or I cannot worship God. In my experience, I have left worship services where I loved every song, but did not have a close encounter with the Almighty. And, I have had very intimate and life changing times of worship when I didn’t like the songs being played. The change wasn’t the music, it was how prepared my heart was.
Even still, there are often times of distraction for me during church where I find my mind drifting. Here is what I do.
Two main activities that enhance my time of worship.
Whether I like the song or not, I find these two activities enhance my worship tremendously:
- Pray – My family has told me that singing is not my gift or talent. But that isn’t the reason I don’t sing all of the songs. In some songs the words lead me to prayer for: me, my family, the church, my skatepark friends, work or whatever seems appropriate.
- Read – Many times a song will make me think of a Scripture. So, I turn to the scripture and begin reading. In fact, that is how this blog came about.
- Recently, a song at church led me to Psalm 22 and I came across this verse:
- Psalm 22:27-28 – “All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations will worship before Him. For the Kingdom belongs to Lord: and He rules over the nations.
- This year I have been putting my focus on the Kingdom of God. So, this stood out to me and led me to another level of worship, intimacy, and awareness of God’s presence.
What about you? What do you do during worship that enhances your time of worship? Comment below.
Love and Blessin’s,
David
Featured Image provided by Jeremy Ellsworth Photography – www.JeremyEllsworth.com – Check him out for your photography needs!