Over the last couple of months I’ve had two people speak with me about a famous worship leader, whom I really love and enjoy, and they both mentioned that they love her worship, but don’t always love to watch her worship because it’s too distracting. This statement from them left me feeling troubled, because it was when I saw her worship many years ago, that I realized I was not alone. Someone else worshiped like me. Watching her brings me a feeling of freedom. She gave me permission to be fully vulnerable and engaged in worship.
What am I to ascertain from this?
Here’s what I know…my worship of God has nothing to do with anyone else. It is me engaging God. It is me bringing Him the gift of my adoration and praise. It’s me listening to what Holy Spirit wants to say in that moment.
When I began to worship God with my body, through raising my hands and dancing sometimes, it was breaking off so much baggage. It was me taking back my body. As a woman, for many years I had seen my body as a hindrance to life because of the way men objectified it. Being pursued when I didn’t want to be and having unwanted experiences. These things make it especially poignant to begin to discover movement in worship. It’s taking something that’s been abused and making it pure through worship. Worship sometimes feels like restoration. Restoring God’s rightful place on the throne and bringing my whole self to Him.
Why am I discussing this?
I simply want to refocus our hearts and minds on the One we are worshiping. It’s never about pleasing others, it’s all about Him. He is worthy of all our praise. It’s ok if others don’t understand the way you come to Him in worship. Of course, none of us should want to be a spectacle, and we should guard against becoming prideful in our differences. At that point we are worshiping ourselves. Likewise, we shouldn’t allow the discomfort of others to take center stage of our worship either. There’s a definite balance and it must be walked with a deliberate heart. It’s up to each of us to work out our heart of worship with God. We are each responsible for ourselves.
Prayer Moment: God, teach me the best way to worship You. Help me to never cower to opinions of others. Instead, lead me in boldness and humility. Teach me to have unbridled affection for You without fearing the condemnation of others. Teach me also to stand right before You. Release a heavenly perspective over me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. Psalm 134:2
Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with tambourine and dancing, praise Him with the strings and flute, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Psalm 150
365 Days in the Presence 