Worship, Again
a journal entry from March 4, 2020
After a phone call with my friend Dayna yesterday, I was meditating on "worship." Her journey of faith this year has encompassed fasting as part of a more intentional practice within her faith walk, and our conversation reminded me how helpful it has been to ask myself, "What's my goal in doing this?" I have asked myself this through various practices and expressions of "being a good Christian," from activities such as attending church, small groups, engaging in mentorship, confession, solitude, meditation, fasting, etc.
Anyway, as I shared my previous journey and growth through the practice of fasting with my friend, I sensed a pull toward an experience from earlier that morning. I allowed my mind to wander back and remember that in my morning devotional time, I'd incorporated worship (through song, by playing my guitar). Now, I personally forgo this type of worship when it's just little old me! Most of us that go to church services regularly are accustomed to worship before a sermon or bible-based discussion- it has a way of preparing our hearts and allowing us to become willing to let the words that are being spoken affect us in a deeper way. At least, that's been my experience.
That morning after worship in my Colorado bedroom, I felt like a pond whose dense sediment was kicked up, and emotion which had become part of my "normal scenery," if you will, revealed itself as a muddied mess I'd just grown comfortable and accustomed to. Worship, through song, stirred me up, and my conversation with Dayna allowed me to have space to revisit that observation. my heart has since been ruminating over this idea that worship has the right matrix to stir me up in a way that my soul is responsive. It would have been so easy to ignore that, and just move on through my week.
I find that, personally, I respond best to different spiritual disciplines in different seasons.
Right now, my friend Dayna is responding well and hearing from God in a clear manner through her practice of fasting. It is teaching her to relinquish control, to trust God, and to prioritize the sound of His voice as she waits on Him, sacrificing what is temporal for what is unseen.
Right now, my own soul needs rest. Engaging in worship, song, and dance are allowing me to notice what God is so graciously stirring up within me, and it's guiding my eyes to see. In a slightly different way, I too am growing in how to relinquish control, trust God, and have courage to engage God with not just my intellect, but my body, mind, and emotions as well.
So here's my prompting for you. Are you feeling stagnant and dry in your faith? What are you doing to engage with God in meaningful ways? What are your own spiritual needs, and are you taking care of them or positioning yourself to have those needs met by God and the community of faith in your life? Are you receiving, or- if you're honest with yourself- do you feel like you're missing the mark? Why?
And if you're feeling in tune with God, hooray! Take note of how you're paying attention and positioning yourself in these moments, especially if you've had to adjust to get to where you are today. Life is full of adjustments and recalibration. Yet, I am a firm believer that God uses those adjustments to align us closer to Him and His plan for us.
Wherever you are in your faith walk, God is near to you. Whether you're in a valley, on the mountain top, or anywhere in between- He is steadfast, so let Him be a part of it all.
To lives of engaging faith & loving our good God with all we are!
I am praying for you always,
Melissa xoxo
And thank you to Dayna, and so many others, who despite distance have remained friends... sisters in the faith. You have been the ones who have taken time to edify me with your own walk, the honest steps of your journey, and to pour into me through the years. I am eternally grateful for friendships like these!
"Go out to the highways and the hedges and compel people to come in that my house may be filled."
Luke 14:23
After a phone call with my friend Dayna yesterday, I was meditating on "worship." Her journey of faith this year has encompassed fasting as part of a more intentional practice within her faith walk, and our conversation reminded me how helpful it has been to ask myself, "What's my goal in doing this?" I have asked myself this through various practices and expressions of "being a good Christian," from activities such as attending church, small groups, engaging in mentorship, confession, solitude, meditation, fasting, etc.
Anyway, as I shared my previous journey and growth through the practice of fasting with my friend, I sensed a pull toward an experience from earlier that morning. I allowed my mind to wander back and remember that in my morning devotional time, I'd incorporated worship (through song, by playing my guitar). Now, I personally forgo this type of worship when it's just little old me! Most of us that go to church services regularly are accustomed to worship before a sermon or bible-based discussion- it has a way of preparing our hearts and allowing us to become willing to let the words that are being spoken affect us in a deeper way. At least, that's been my experience.
That morning after worship in my Colorado bedroom, I felt like a pond whose dense sediment was kicked up, and emotion which had become part of my "normal scenery," if you will, revealed itself as a muddied mess I'd just grown comfortable and accustomed to. Worship, through song, stirred me up, and my conversation with Dayna allowed me to have space to revisit that observation. my heart has since been ruminating over this idea that worship has the right matrix to stir me up in a way that my soul is responsive. It would have been so easy to ignore that, and just move on through my week.
I find that, personally, I respond best to different spiritual disciplines in different seasons.
Right now, my friend Dayna is responding well and hearing from God in a clear manner through her practice of fasting. It is teaching her to relinquish control, to trust God, and to prioritize the sound of His voice as she waits on Him, sacrificing what is temporal for what is unseen.
Right now, my own soul needs rest. Engaging in worship, song, and dance are allowing me to notice what God is so graciously stirring up within me, and it's guiding my eyes to see. In a slightly different way, I too am growing in how to relinquish control, trust God, and have courage to engage God with not just my intellect, but my body, mind, and emotions as well.
So here's my prompting for you. Are you feeling stagnant and dry in your faith? What are you doing to engage with God in meaningful ways? What are your own spiritual needs, and are you taking care of them or positioning yourself to have those needs met by God and the community of faith in your life? Are you receiving, or- if you're honest with yourself- do you feel like you're missing the mark? Why?
And if you're feeling in tune with God, hooray! Take note of how you're paying attention and positioning yourself in these moments, especially if you've had to adjust to get to where you are today. Life is full of adjustments and recalibration. Yet, I am a firm believer that God uses those adjustments to align us closer to Him and His plan for us.
Wherever you are in your faith walk, God is near to you. Whether you're in a valley, on the mountain top, or anywhere in between- He is steadfast, so let Him be a part of it all.
To lives of engaging faith & loving our good God with all we are!
I am praying for you always,
Melissa xoxo
And thank you to Dayna, and so many others, who despite distance have remained friends... sisters in the faith. You have been the ones who have taken time to edify me with your own walk, the honest steps of your journey, and to pour into me through the years. I am eternally grateful for friendships like these!
"Go out to the highways and the hedges and compel people to come in that my house may be filled."
Luke 14:23
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