Worship

16Nov, 2017

I began playing the bass guitar on the worship team at my church when I was 12 years old. At that time, I could barely struggle through the songs, desperately hunting for each note, and often making mistakes. When a song was finished, if I hadn’t made too many obvious mistakes, I would feel relieved, as though I had survived the ordeal. I would often pray that God would help me make it through the song and that nobody in the church or youth group would be too distracted by my lack of skill. 

As I grew, I began to make fewer mistakes, and I became more confident in my abilities as my proficiency increased. I finally had enough confidence to try playing piano or guitar some weeks at youth group, and over time, I began to feel comfortable leading the band and singing. Unfortunately, as my confidence increased, those prayers for God to help me make it through each song decreased.

We love to rely on our own skills and abilities, rather than trust in God’s strength. This is true of worship leaders, as well as anyone else in Church ministry. Sadly, as we build more trust and confidence in ourselves as musicians and worship leaders, we can drift from our true purpose: to bring glory to God through the songs and praises of His people. Recently, I have felt more like I did in those early years, when I struggled through each song, trying hard not to make mistakes, and hoping my weaknesses would not be a distraction. I have found myself back in that place of dependence—praying for God’s help when I have felt insufficient—and being forced to trust Him. 

Scripture is replete with examples demonstrating that worshipping God comes at a cost. Worship is not a passive experience, as though we should come to church each week and consume a product that pleases us. Rather, worshipping is something we choose to do based on our love for God and our gratitude for who He is. The church’s worship is rooted in the pews, not on the platform. Though we who lead are to do so with strength and confidence, we are also to do so with great humility and reverence for the task. All that we do as worship leaders is facilitate and maximize the praises of God’s people. Perhaps the trepidation I felt in those early years—and that I have felt recently—has been a reminder to trust Him, and not myself. Who are you trusting today?

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