Worship Lessons, part 1

Those who keep tabs on my spiritual health,

You know that God has been teaching me a lot about worship over the last 15 months or so.  He's expanded my understanding of what true worship is, what it is not, what it looks like in the local church, and what it looks like in the global Church.  He's made it very clear to me that the role of a worship leader is twofold:  1, to lead others into His presence in a familiar, relevant, comfortable way; and 2, to stretch others in worship, helping them to experience Jesus in a different, growing, uncomfortable way.  My heart resonates for "every nation, tribe, people, and language."

God made me a worshiper and a musician.  As such, some of the most fulfilled times of my life have been when I am worshiping Him in music.  But even a few weeks ago, I was in a bit of a "dry season."  While I knew that my response to the Father should be joyous, wholehearted worship, my soul and spirit were just worn.  And in that place, it's really hard to play music or worship, let alone combine the two and lead worship.  (Worship leaders, you know exactly what I mean.)  So going into Fall Conference, I was pretty unprepared on multiple counts. 

But God is still so faithful.  So, so good.  You know how we often forget just how worthy Jesus is of all our worship, and then He reminds us?  Yep, that happened.  And you know how He does that "exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think" thing?  Yep, that too.

Our Savior does this fantastic thing where He meets us where we are.  When we realize how dirty with sin we are, how weak and helpless we are, and we recognize that He's our only way out... Jesus picks us up, cleans us off, and overwhelms us with grace.  And through what is another story for another time, God used Fall Conference to make me a better musician, a better worshiper, a better disciple.

Post-conference, God is still refining me.  Even this weekend, I was confronted with some of my biggest insecurities, some of my deepest hurts; and all I could do was trust in His goodness.  
Sometimes people say, "God never gives you more than you can handle."  I would vehemently argue against this lie.  Time after time, God gives His people too much.  Why?  So that we would know more of His power.  So that our hearts would become more aligned with His.  So that we would be more like Him.  So that He would get the glory.  So that everyone--every nation, tribe, people, and language--would know, love, and worship Him.

"It is a glorious thing to know that your Father God makes no mistakes in directing or permitting that which crosses the path of your life. It is the glory of God to conceal a matter. It is our glory to trust Him, no matter what." – Joni Eareckson Tada

- Alyce