I’m a worship leader in a church that immensely values the musical expression of worship. I love music that connects and gives people an opportunity to respond to God. With all that is in me, I feel this is a good thing.
But what happens when this musical expression becomes the central focus instead of the King it is for? As worship gatherings happen all over the world week in and week out, how much time is the church actually spending worshipping the King of Glory, and how often are people instead worshipping worship itself?
From what I have seen and experienced, this addiction to worship is a common problem. So how do we break out of worshiping worship? Maybe a story will help.
A few years ago, before my wife and I had kids in our house, I actually had a room in our home that was mine. It was my little quiet place to do songwriting, study, and read. (Disclaimer: I wouldn’t trade my kids to get this room back.) One particular evening, I was lying on the floor reading through Psalm 149 as worship music played in this room. When I got to the verse that read, “Let them praise His name with dancing,” I felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to begin to dance.
Well, my first reaction was not to dance. I didn’t want to feel stupid. I didn’t want to feel embarrassed. So I didn’t dance.
I read on into Psalm 150, where I came across another verse, “Praise Him with the tambourine and dancing.” Again, I felt a prompting in my spirit to respond by dancing. Now at this point, my face was turning red. I’m embarrassed to tell you that I responded in such a way to the Lord, but I did.
Finally, I gave in and began to dance like a little 3-year-old kid in this room, where it was just the Lord and me. At first, I felt awkward and weird, but as I began to focus more on the Lord and less on myself, something changed in my mind and heart. I realized that the breakthrough I wanted to see corporately as a worship leader must first happen in my own life. Private breakthrough in worship always precedes corporate breakthrough.
In that small room, while I was alone, this monumental moment with the Lord took place, and I was forever changed. I discovered that worship isn’t about how I feel like responding but rather about simply being obedient to what I was created to do – to worship. It is the natural response for disciples as they relate upward to God.