How to surrender to worship (when everyone is looking at you!)

 (previously published post) 

God qualifies whom He calls. He anoints and He prepares, He chastens, and He allows whom He calls. 

Do you ever look back on your life and ask, how blessed am I to recognize my one precious life has been freely bought and redeemed and forgiven of all of my sin? How beautiful is it to acknowledge this new life was and is meant-to-be, and meant for me; a life that even the most creative part of me could have never imagined? 

This is how I feel most days. 

Before you think I'm the Pollyanna--see-the-world-through-rose-colored-glasses type, I think, just hear me out. 

When I sneak a look back at my old life, I understand that I used to live in darkness, I can see clearly now that the light of the Son shines on it. How lost I was without that light and how free I am now that the blinders are off, and I can see the path (mostly) ahead. 

When a believer understands all that God brought her out of (all the rocks and twigs and fallen trees she had to climb and stumble over, all the bumps and the bruises and the wounds and the scars) all the experiences leading up to this moment --- and I realize this all because God had a plan for my life. 

He has a plan for your life. (Jer. 29:11) 

And, when you finally do experience that plan in action or see it laid out before you, like a list of directions on your GPS, or a crisp and clean, yet unfolded and unchartered road map, it is a thing of pure beauty, a joy like no other; and you can almost say all that suffering was worth it.

Really, it was. 

I feel this gratitude when I stand on stage most Sunday mornings. My husband feels this way when he sits behind the grand piano to play for the worship team and congregation. As far as I can tell, our entire praise team feels like this. 

And it is great to feel this, but do others see it? 

And what do they see when we show our gratitude? 

As worship leaders, what does that look like? Are we smiling at the congregation? Jumping around up there? 

And our behavior doesn't (or shouldn't) change when we walk off the stage. And it shouldn't be reserved for just Sunday mornings. 

There is humble responsibility in leading others into worship and praise of the Lord. 

So, how do you surrender in worship when everyone is looking at you?  Easy. (Well, easier said than done.) You ask for the Holy Spirit to work through you and pray that He will help others to see past you or through you so that they see only Him.  (John 3:30)  

The Worship Leader's "MUSTS" 

After salvation, the 3 MOST important responsibilities of a worship leader are to: 

• Pray 
• Read God's word (the Bible) 
• Keep a servant's heart always (deny self, take up your cross (Mark 8:34)

The greater you do these things, the greater the chances that others will see Jesus in you.

Before we go, I have a quick story I wanted to share with you. 

Early on in my Christian walk, I felt God calling me to do

something, but I questioned it. 

Still, I stayed obedient.

I had just come from a networking meeting where a local business owners suggested asking for gift cards for his business and so I drove to the hair salon he owns and I asked to order a gift card for the amount of a full adult hair wash, cut and dry. ($45.00)

But... when they asked for my name, I chose to make it anonymous, on one condition, that I get to inscribe it. 

Oh, sure. here you go, and the receptionist handed me the card and a pen. 

I wrote, "Jesus loves you." 

All set? She asked as I handed her back the signed card and note. 

I might have walked out elated; most people who do a generouse charity donation ususally do. They say both spending money and giving anonymously releases the feel-good brain chemicals (dopamine, serotonin and releases endorphins, those feel-good hormones.)

 

But... no. 

I walked to the car and got in. before I turned the key I called our pastor. 

I feel really awkward about something, 

Ok, shoot! And I told him. 

Vanessa, did you feel like you were obedient to our Lord? He said.

Yes. 

Then, you've done the right thing. If He's telling you to do something, you did it, and I'm proud of you for that. 

There it is; up to Him. He will give it to the person He desires to have it, and if He does not want me to have something, why should I still desire it?

I've included the song "Let Them See You In Me" below. 

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Photo by Alexandru Zdrobău on Unsplash