My passion used to be music. I know what you’re thinking…
But that passion has changed over the past couple of years. Now my passion is worship… and that passion is expressed when I get to be a part of something that brings people to a true connection with our Creator God. Music is just a tool that guides (a great one, by the way).
About two years ago, I was incredibly caught up in the music. A good thing? Yes, but one that should not in itself be the ultimate focus. I was so engulfed in the work, the preparation, the pure love for the notes and the rhythms and the dynamics and the “feeling”… that I somehow lost my own deep personal connection with my Father.
It was like Pin the Tail on the Donkey. I was blindfolded, wandering around the area of my calling, but missing it, because I wasn’t looking for it with open eyes. With His eyes. Instead I was reaching desperately, blindly.
So what happened? God broke me. He allowed a series of circumstances to come into my life that brought me to the end of myself and to the end of what I thought at the time was my calling. It hurt… a lot. For a long time, I was enveloped by intense emotional and spiritual pain. It brought my life to a halt and tried to destroy me. There was no way out, except to turn to Jesus.
When I was completely broken of what I had pridefully claimed as mine, that’s when God started molding me. He picked up the fallen dominoes one by one and began showing me (in small portions) the journey He wanted me to take.
Then… the conference two months ago… the one I’ve been meaning to write about. It was there that I got it. It was there that during one sleepless night, I got down on my knees and cried out… begging Him to show me which direction He wanted me to go. God’s timing is just cool. The few weeks surrounding the conference were a time of crossroads for me, and for the first time in my life, I honestly wanted Him to take control. I finally recognized (my husband calls it a revelation) that I never want to move forward with anything unless God is truly calling me to do it. And it was there that God showed me what He has created me to do, to be. I don’t know exactly what the journey is going to look like… I’m anxiously awaiting the details… but for now, I’m just thankful and awestruck that He would call me.
All this to say that I had to get past the music. I had to see that worship is not all about cool chord progressions… great singers… great musicians… great lighting. I needed to absorb the truth that worship is all about loving God and giving Him thanks for who He is. It’s about connecting with Him on an intimate level. It’s about praising the One who created us. My heart needed to grasp that music is great, but it is just a tool. And when I really GOT all of that, God started teaching me how to truly worship Him.
How about you? When you think of worship, does your mind automatically go to the music? Do you long to experience genuine worship of the God who created you? If so, my prayer is that you will come to a place of true worship… and you will see that it is so much more than a song!
About 31 Days of Worship
Every day in the month of October, I will be posting here about worship. Will you join me on this journey? Maybe you are interested in discussing specific topics within the area of worship. If this is you, I’d LOVE to hear from you! You can leave a comment below or send me an email.
At any time during the month, you can see all posts in this series by clicking here: 31 Days of Worship. Also, if you would like to subscribe to Grow Where You’re Planted and receive these posts in your email, you can do that here: Grow Where You’re Planted Updates.
Thanks for stopping by! I enjoy being on this worship journey with you! My prayer is that God will teach all of us to become more focused worshipers throughout this month.
Paula, I really enjoyed reading this. I have a tendency to get totally wrapped up in music and feel as though it’s a worship experience. It is, for sure. But there are other ways I need to grow in my ability to worship God. I’m looking forward to reading your worship series. 🙂
Thanks, Rosann! I’m looking forward to reading your series, too. 🙂
I am thoroughly enjoying your 31 Days of Worship posts! I look forward to the next 29–bring it, sister (channeling my inner Jeff here).
Thanks, Keri! “Inner Jeff”? Nice!! 🙂
Good morning. Worship is so dear to my heart and thank you for the focus. Recently, while reading Jennifer Dean Kennedy’s book, Altar’d, I began to grasp her concept of “leaning into the Jesus inside us”. Think about it. We already have everything He promised, living and having His being in us. Now my worship seems closer, immediate, and I can feel at times, be it ever so odd sounding, “come back in…I can do this…you can experience me, here, now.” Like your little baby, I just rest my feet in the cool sand of His presence. Wow!!
Kay, that’s awesome stuff! That’s what I want everyday… to “lean into the Jesus inside me.” Amen!
Wow. I needed to read this and I needed to read this tonight. If I had read it on the 2nd, it would have gone in one ear & out the other. Thank you for sharing this.
“When I was completely broken of what I had pridefully claimed as mine…” I feel like I’m on the edge of broken. Thank you for helping me realize that I need to move forward completely into broken to find the what I need.
Don’t you love God’s timing? So thankful that He provided exactly what you needed to read tonight!! Just prayed for you!!