We all have times in our life when we don’t feel like worshipping God. When lyrics in what was once our favourite worship song begin to bug us because we are no longer sure we can trust their promises.
Sometimes when the rest of the congregation is singing “You’re a good, good father”, to us all he feels like is a distant, angry father. And no matter if last week we were singing “Your love never fails” and “You’re never gonna let me down” at the top of our lungs, this week our confidence may be beginning waver.
Despite our never changing God who is always faithful to us, our belief and trust is oftentimes swayed by our emotions and the circumstances we find ourselves facing. Despite the fact that his promises never fail, we do. We’re human. We’ve all been there. And we will all feel like that again at one time or another.
So what should we do in times like this?
Well first things first – we shouldn’t try and fake it. Sometimes there can be a temptation to smile, sing and act as if everything is sunshine and rainbows – that there is nothing that we’d rather be doing than praising God at all times. But that just isn’t true at all times. And this isn’t a realistic expectation of ourselves or anyone else. None of us is perfect. And we aren’t always happy.
I don’t believe God wants us to pretend. Worship is a time when we approach God in relationship with him. He wants authenticity in that – not a façade. In Matthew 15:7-8 Jesus calls out those who honour with their lips but not in their hearts. He goes so far as to call them hypocrites!
Please hear me. I am not saying that we should wallow in our misery and refuse to worship. This isn’t an excuse to curl up in bed and let our emotions just take control – far from it!
What I am saying is that we shouldn’t allow our emotions to dictate our actions. We don’t have to be afraid to lay our emotions at the feet of Jesus. We don’t have to leave the pain behind to worship. We don’t just have to worship in spite of the pain – we are able to worship in the midst of it.
In fact I truly believe that this is the only way that we will make it through some of the biggest challenges we will face. Whatever we are feeling, whatever we are going through, we can use this to shape our worship to God. We can use this as the basis of our offering to our heavenly Father.
Worship must be real if it is to be an acceptable offering to God – “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). Just look at the expression of all kinds of emotions throughout the psalms. If all we have to offer is pain and sadness, then this is what we need to bring to the feet of Jesus. If all we have to offer is hurt and resentment, then this is what we need to invite the Holy Spirit in to. If the most that we can do is cry out, then we cry out to God. Bring what you have.
When we don’t feel like worshipping we need to pursue God anyway and wait on Him. Seek God with all of our heart, through scripture, through prayer, and through daily acknowledgement that he is God and that his ways are better than our own. Worship can be from praise or pain but when we wait on God, we are submitting to His will and His way. This is true worship. And a song of praise and honour will begin rise up in our very souls. He will “put a song in [our] mouth, a hymn of praise” (Psalm 40) and we will worship with the joy of yesterday once more.
Thank you God that you never change, that your love for us isn’t dependent on emotions and that your promises never fail.
May your will always be done in my life and help me to always honour you with both my lips and my heart.
At all times I promise to worship you with everything I have, whether that be in the midst of joy or pain.
In all that I do, say and sing, may you be glorified.
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