Take time, make time, seize time to take in God’s revelation of himself. If you can find time for Facebook, sports, TV, video games, movies and hanging out, you can find time for God’s Word. Ultimately, nothing is more important to read than God’s inerrant, unchanging, sufficient, life-giving, motive-revealing, Christ-exalting, joy-fueling, strength-imparting Word.
Challenge yourself to read more than you think you’re able. Start a Bible plan and read so much that you actually get ahead of the plan.
Don’t just read. Meditate. Reflect. Ruminate. Interact. Memorize. Take notes on Sundays. Find great preachers of God’s Word and listen to them. Most importantly, obey. You’ll never regret knowing Scripture as well as or better than you know your instrument and gear.
Get to know the living God through his Word and you’ll continually be amazed at how little you really know him and how much more of him there is to love and trust.
Be the best musician you can be.
Godly character isn’t a replacement for lousy musicianship. Wherever you’re at musically, you can be better. God doesn’t need our musical talents, but he can use them. The more tools we have in our musical tool kit, the more likely we won’t be distracted when something unexpected comes up.
Have trouble keeping time? Practice with a metronome.
Can’t stay on pitch? Get some voice lessons (or just start breathing more deeply).
Can’t play more than 10 guitar chords? Get a chord book or talk to a more experienced guitarist and work at it.
Don’t know what a Csus, Eadd2 and dominant 7th are? There are some good iPad and online theory courses or check out your local college.
Limited song repertoire? Spend time researching hymnals, or check out YouTube, Sovereign Grace Music, Getty Music, Indelible Grace, WorshipTogether and other sites
Technology have you confused? Talk to someone who knows more than you do. Visit a music store. Check out YouTube …
As I said earlier, I could have mentioned things like loving your spouse, being a faithful parent, praying diligently, pursuing humility, loving your church, evangelizing, serving in other ways. But if you focus on the three areas above, you’ll be in a better place for God to use you now, even as he prepares you for what you’ll be doing in years to come.
