Shame – (noun) – the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another
Unashamed (adjective) – being without guilt, self-consciousness, or doubt
Sometimes in worship, I feel as though I just can’t express myself in the way that I truly feel I want to. The way that God designed me to.
Does that ever happen to you? Sometimes I have the most amazing worship experiences in the simple solitude of my bedroom; with the door shut and the lights out, I am able to engage with the Lord in unashamed abandonment. I read those sentences and have to ask, and more importantly, search my heart as to why I feel that way. In public, am I ashamed of God; ashamed of myself; or fearful of what people will think of me?
I don’t feel free right now in worship. I don’t feel as though I can be abandoned or unashamed. I don’t feel that I can open up my heart to a fullness of expression before the living God. It’s not that I am ashamed of the Lord or ashamed in worshipping Him. The shame I feel comes from my insecurities.
For the past two years, I have (almost every Sunday) run sound for Green Hills Church. It is a blessing to be able to use the talent He has given me to give Him glory and help lead His people in worship. I have recently had the privilege to serve Green Hills in a different capacity. For many recent weeks, I have been up front playing bass. While it’s been a lot of fun, I have struggled to find the balance between playing well and worshipping (sometimes I simply get lost in worship and get lost in the song too). I find myself embarrassed when I mess up; I feel as though I am being judged. But, why? Where in scripture does it say that we should be embarrassed if we miss a note in worship? I’m not saying that we should be lackadaisical in worshipping the Lord. We should give all we have to the Lord to give Him the glory that He so perfectly deserves. I am saying that we should be real; that we should pour out the love that the Lord has commanded that we lavish on Him; that we give Him love without shame, with an abandoned heart prostrate before Him.
Francis Chan (author of Crazy Love and Forgotten God) says that “It is a remarkable cycle: Our prayers for more love result in love, which naturally causes us to pray more, which results in more love…” You get the idea. Worship is more than just songs on Sunday morning and Wednesday night; worship is a lifestyle that seeks to give everything to the God that first gave everything. “For God so loved the world that He gave… (John 3:16) He sent His son to die for our sins; for the sins you and I committed today and the ones we may commit tomorrow. He did this because He loved us first. How can we react to that aside from love?
My challenge to you and me is this: Give the Lord all you have in worship. Not just in the “corporate” worship settings, but in all aspects of your life. Fall down before the living God and humble yourself before Him. Ask Him how He wants to be worshipped today; seek Him with all your might; lay down your life before Him. Remember, “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me” and conversely, “whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me”. I think Jesus was clear that worship in spirit and in truth required more than just three chords, an acoustic guitar, and PowerPoint. Worship in spirit and truth requires a heart that is in tune with the Holy Spirit; a heart that is so in Love with Jesus that it cannot help but worship.
Be Blessed
