I don’t mean to be a downer, but I told my sister the other day, “If it wasn’t this struggle, it’d be something else.” And I don’t tell you that to depress you — though the thought can be depressing. I say it to encourage us to live today, where we are, this side of Jesus’ return, worshipping our God regardless of circumstance.
I know that some of you are in the midst of wildly difficult situations. But what if there’s more than just living today longing and hoping for a better tomorrow. Not that hoping for a better tomorrow is wrong. It’s not. It’s good and even right. It’s what keeps us breathing at times.
But our God wants to meet us in our today. He wants to minister life to the depths of our being today, often through the tears that sting and the questions that swirl around in our mind. And that kind of life births on the other side of worship.
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. ”
Job 1:20-21
That’s what’s so unbelievable about God. We can be a crumbled mess on the laundry room floor, but if we press into Him with worship and prayer, reciting His character and promises, glimmers of life can well up from the inside out. It’s radical.
I know that may sound ridiculous if you’re in the midst of a painful, raw struggle. I know. But that’s the greatness of God. That’s the beauty of grace and the power of His Spirit within us. That’s the painful good.
This day, wherever it has us, let’s choose to worship. Because He’s still worthy and good and faithful and reigning.
Fill me, Lord…
Tell me a time when you chose worship when it was the very last thing you felt like doing. How did it change you?
Thank you for the reminder to choose worship! Yes, “He’s still worthy and good and faithful and reigning!!”
Always worthy. Thanks, Tracey.
I love this— yes- choosing to worship Him is how we grow deep roots into His heart—so that in EVERY season we experience LIVING waters and are fruitful for HIS glory. Recently I’ve been worshipping Him in the midst of a close friend’s heartache, that is breaking my own heart. It’s hard to see a friend suffer, but worshipping Him has given me heaven’s perspective as I pray for her.
You are such a testament to this, Francie. Love your heart for worship, sister. (Check out my friend, Francie’s, blog at http://www.upinandout.com — love her!)
My mom has taught me ever since I was a little girl, that when we can worship God through the hardest times of life, it increases our faith and makes us grow. Talk about TRUE worship.. worshiping when we don’t “feel” like it. I experienced this when I went through a divorce at the age of 24. And the hardest part, my ex-husband was the Worship Pastor at our church, and we always lead worship together. So then when I stood on that stage, alone (so it felt) for the first time.. but really just without him- and was able to still worship and lead others into worship, it changed me. I didn’t have him to lean on. I had God, and God alone. I started having people tell me that they didn’t understand what was happening in my worship leading, but that I was blossoming like never before and that the presence of God was tangible. I loved this blog.. so, so good!
What a testimony, Tifani! Thank you for sharing. “TRUE worship.” The painful good.
This is so right on Lara! Maybe God’s trying to tell me something here. This morning my Jesus Calling devotional was all about being present in the here & now. It said how God walks with us in the present, and it is in the ‘now’ that we can see His glory. And then I read your post and it just reiterated everything I read earlier today. Thank you for another reminder to focus on Him now, and worship Him in the moment.
This year has been rough and being in the presence of Him almost makes me want to encapsilate myself there to stop what is happening and I don’t want to go further. I have had 8 funerals so far this year, 4 in March most quite unexpected, I lost my brother who raised me after my father died and a very best friend of 40+ years. In all the pain my brothers children asked me not to be offended if the funeral was not “churchy”. I told them you need to do what is right for you. Knowing the chaplain doing the service I was fine. I know where my brother is, he up there waiting for me. But to get back to task. My adopted (that is important) grandson had a terrible life and at the loss of my brother he started withdrawal He looked at me when I told him asking why God would let him die since he was getting better. Simplicity from the Lord. Out of my mouth came ” Jesus came down and said Ernie if you want to walk on 2 feet you have to come home with me, and he did.” David replied well okay then.
I repeat those words alot and each time I thank Jesus for taking my brother home.
AMEN!