I just spent the last ten days at training camp for my World Race Gap Year. I was surrounded by racers and trainers who challenged me and loved me, and Abba immersed me in his endless love and adoration. I wish I could write about every moment of the entire camp, but that would take forever. However, as I was talking to my parents last night and processing some of what I learned, one memory was very distinct in my mind.
About halfway through camp, we had a morning of squad-led worship. We didn’t have any instruments, so the worship was only our voices. We had worshiped the same way the night before, and it was truly beautiful. That morning, though, I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to help lead the worship, and I just didn’t ‘feel’ like worshiping because I was so tired.
The enemy will use any device he can to drag you away from the Lord. That day, he used my physical exhaustion to try to stop me from worshiping my heavenly Father.
But on that morning, I decided not to let my weakness rule my life. I chose to worship God with all my heart, soul, and mind anyway. I helped lead some of the worship, and I let others lead songs that I didn’t know as well. The worship was powerful that morning. Everyone was worshiping without any inhibitions. We all sang in different keys because we had no instruments to help us stay in tune. Sometimes many of us would hum or mumble through lines where we didn’t know the lyrics, and it was all so beautiful.
You see, worship isn’t a performance. We don’t have to be talented musicians to worship. We don’t have to know every song perfectly to worship. Worship isn’t about us. Worship is about the Almighty Creator of the universe. We worship because the Lord deserves to be worshiped. He is worthy of all praise.
I didn’t want to worship, but by the end of the hour, I was energized by the Spirit. God taught me that worship isn’t about me or other people. It’s about him, our eternal, loving Father. God taught me that I can worship without inhibitions because the act of worship isn’t about me; it’s not about how my voice sounds or how my raised arms and dancing look. I don’t worship because I ‘feel’ like it. 1 Chronicles 16:25 says, “For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise.” The Lord is worthy of all praise; that is why we worship.
When you worship, think about who you are worshiping and why you are worshiping. Remember that is isn’t about a feeling you have in the moment; it’s about the Almighty God. Forget the people around you; it doesn’t matter what they think of the way you worship. Worship is between you and the Father, and the Father’s love and presence is so much more important than the judgment of other people could ever be.
