So far in 2020, God has taught me three very important lessons. They’ve impacted me so much that I wanted to share them with you. They’re lengthy so I decided to spilt them into a three part series.
Pt 1 – Worship
I grew up in church. Every service time there was, my family and I were there. It wasn’t until my very early twenties that I stopped going, there was a lot going on in my life at that time and I just started to drift away. When I decided to get serious about my relationship with Jesus, I would try different churches on and off, trying to find a place that felt ‘right’. One Wednesday night on a whim, I tried a church I had been invited to. I heard God whisper to me ‘this is where I want you’. So I stayed.
I’ve been there for almost three years now, and it feels right. I mean visit any time and you can hear the Gospel preached, feel the Holy Spirit, and see God move. God has really been at work there. I’ve served in more ways than I ever had, by helping in student ministry and choir/band. I’ve developed friendships and mentors that encourage me, being part of discipleship groups. And I’ve grown in my knowledge of who God is and who He’s called me to me by immersing myself in His Word. I’m part of something bigger than myself there.
I just love being at church, enough to say that I’d rather be there than anywhere else, but lately I’ve been asking myself why that is? Why is it when I’m at work, also something bigger than myself, why I don’t enjoy it as much or have as much fun? Why is it when I’m with my family, people I’m the closest to, I don’t feel I’m as nice as I am on Sunday mornings? Why is it I feel the Presence of God on Sunday’s and Wednesday’s, and kinda feel the empty on all the rest? And if you know me at all, you know I bounce ideas and thoughts around in my head long before they ever make it out of my mouth, so this was something that had been on my mind for weeks.
But God interrupted my thoughts one day with the question “what is it you do in that church building that you don’t do anywhere else?” I answered out loud “worship You”. Somehow I knew instantly what He was getting at, and I kinda hung my head.
I love music and how it can reach people. I love how sometimes a song can say what we feel when we don’t know how to say what we feel. I also love to sing. I used to be really scared to, but now I love it. And I love it most when I’m singing to God, when we worship Him at church. So since I’m only at church on Sunday’s and Wednesday’s, I thought that’s the only time I get to participate in worship. All this time I had been limiting myself to all in and all out, focused and intentional, heartfelt and sincere worship to God to two days a week.
But God revealed to me that worshipping Him isn’t just singing songs on a stage or in a building, or even in your car listing to your favorite worship song, although those can be really great too. Worship isn’t just something you do, it’s a way you live. It’s a way you choose to live, not limited to two days, because worship shouldn’t have any limits.
Worship is so much more than a song. It’s the song you sing back to Him. It’s the time you give to Him. It’s the faith you put in Him. It’s the love you receive from Him. It’s the trade of fear for peace with Him. It’s the offering of yourself to Him.
Live like that, and you’ll be happy it’s today no matter what day it is.
So His challenge to me, but more like sweet invitation, was to live as if my life were my voice and to learn of new ways to sing to Him. And He drives this home every.single.time. I listen to ‘So Will I’ by HIllsong Worship. If you haven’t heard it, you really should. And if you have, you should really try to sing it with your life.
I’m sharing this to my World Race blog and not just on my personal socials because I’m just over 38 weeks, I’ll have the opportunity to worship God with my life in all sorts of ways all around the globe! He’s preparing me for a new song and I just want to sing it well.
Until the next one,
Chelsie
