There are times when I am leading worship I become preoccupied by the score or arrangement, or distracted by an out-of-pitch guitar string, or sidetracked by someone talking, or blurred by uncertainty in which direction to go. I know I am NOT the only one who has to take authority over my thoughts and bring them into subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ.
I know that corporate worship needs my focus upon the Lord. I want to be focused upon Him, but sometimes even as a leader I can lose focus or have trouble concentrating on the Lord.
One common hindrance to being able to center upon the Lord is a lack of familiarity with the song we are singing. It is difficult to flow in Spirit-empowered worship when I am reading my musical score – chord by chord, note by note, or word by word. I’m not really connecting my spirit with Holy Spirit when my mind is crowded with thoughts about the upcoming key change, the transition to the bridge, the next song’s lyrics, or the rocking guitar solo that I wish I had more time to perfect.
Recognizing this limitation I honestly try to practice the songs as much as I can. I will sit with my guitar and sing through the prepared list. I will sing through and pray through my set list even while I am walking in the grocery store and visiting the rest room. While driving, I will repeat the recording of a new song until my daughter Kimberlyn can’t stand it any longer. I may not have the song perfected but I do want to have enough familiarity that I can focus on what’s important. I want my focus on the Lord; I want a Matthew 6:33 focus.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33 NIV)
Another common problem for many platform musicians and singers is lack of personal worship in private. My spiritual senses are dulled when I feast on the “world” for a week. What do I mean by “world”? Lots of things – pop music, NFL football, thanksgiving turkey, online media – whatever I consume in abundant quantity or whatever consumes my thought life during the week. I admit it – even pastors have to live in world that competes for attention. I have to remind myself to worship everyday.
I have figured out I have to tune up my spirit man before I can remain focused upon the Lord while I am in a worship service. I cannot do in front of people on Sunday mornings something that is missing from my private life. In fact, if worship is absent from my life on Monday through Saturday, worship isn’t likely to flow on Sunday. Worship really is a lifestyle. But when I take time to worship privately, my worship expression on Sunday comes much more easily.
“But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24 NLT)
Are you tuned up spiritually? Are you ready to focus your thoughts on the Lord as we enter God’s awesome presence on Sunday? Take some time to worship privately. Shut the door to your bedroom and express yourself to the Lord. Sing, shout, play your instrument, clap, pray in the tongues, bow, even dance! I bet that if all of us do it privately on Saturday we will be able to tell a difference on Sunday.
