Practice Your Worship

A few weeks back a member of my praise team had a great Sunday (and by that I mean, I thought he played really well). So I came up to him after service and gave him a hug and looked at him in the eyes and said sincerely, “Really great job, Steve. I appreciate you.”

He slowly nodded in agreement but admitted that the songs this week were a real challenge for him. How it took him longer than expected to work them out.

Immediately my mind retraced the particular parts in each song and admitted, “Yeah man, those were some new and interesting parts for you, weren’t they?” (While in my head I was glad he studied so hard and learned them despite the challenge).

But that’s not what Steve meant.

Instead, Steve went on to tell me about the personal, mental and spiritual hardships of his week and how the lyrics to each song were just what he needed to hear and lean into. He shared how giving God back control of his life and ascribe Him worship was a very difficult task and he didn’t know if he’d be able to get through the set with the weight of those lyrics weighing on him. But each time he went through the songs, he was able to give a little more back to the Lord. And finally on Sunday he felt like he was able to release what he needed to and worship God with a sincere heart.

And here I am, thinking he was talking about that intricate breakdown section 🤦🏻‍♂️

Steve perfectly executed a principle I’ve long tried to incorporate into my routine and challenge my team to adopt as well—Practice Your Worship.

It’s natural for us to receive that Planning Center notification and immediately start working out parts to each song. Dialing in tones, practicing that lick, getting the reverb just right, etc. But no matter what instrument you play on the team, what if your first priority in approaching the set was less about parts and more about your heart?

What if your first few listens through was for the sole intent of connecting with your Creator? What if the first and most important part of your practice routine was running to your secret place and letting God love on you and challenge you through the songs?

I’d be willing to bet your moments on Sunday would become a wellspring of new life for you, no longer consumed by the need for perfection, now wrapped up in the presence of God, free to lead people to an encounter you’ve experienced yourself.

One of my favorite passages is Psalm 63

Psalm 63:1-3 | NIV

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary
    and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,
    my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.

Let’s commit just this week to practice our worship and just see what your upstream longing for the thirst-quenching waters of God does for your heart.