Worship Without the "Feels"
We often sing songs in the church about how great God is, how He is our healer, and He is good. But what about the times I do not feel or believe all that I’m singing?
This was my thought as I listened to songs and prepared for worship a few months back.
How do I move forward and lead when I don’t “feel it”? Do I have to feel the closeness and goodness of God to worship? Am I “faking” it if I sing along and I don’t fully believe the words in that moment?
So many questions swirled around my mind. But the more I spend time with the Lord and praise His name in song, the more I learn that I don’t sing and worship Him for the feelings... I worship Him because He is worthy.
“...Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" - Revelation 5:12 ESV
When these thoughts and lack of feelings come, I will choose to participate and to proclaim His kindness, goodness and mercy despite how I feel. How I feel or even what I believe does not change the fact that the Lord is always good, always kind and always merciful.
I believe the Lord meets us in the midst of our doubt, our unbelief, our strife and our hopeless states.
So when I am not “getting all the feels” when singing “the joy of the Lord is my strength,” I will be reminded that His word says He is my joy. He is my strength and He is my song (Psalm 118:14).
“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.” Psalms 63:3-7 ESV
-Jen Kirlin, RCC Worship Leader
This was my thought as I listened to songs and prepared for worship a few months back.
How do I move forward and lead when I don’t “feel it”? Do I have to feel the closeness and goodness of God to worship? Am I “faking” it if I sing along and I don’t fully believe the words in that moment?
So many questions swirled around my mind. But the more I spend time with the Lord and praise His name in song, the more I learn that I don’t sing and worship Him for the feelings... I worship Him because He is worthy.
“...Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" - Revelation 5:12 ESV
When these thoughts and lack of feelings come, I will choose to participate and to proclaim His kindness, goodness and mercy despite how I feel. How I feel or even what I believe does not change the fact that the Lord is always good, always kind and always merciful.
I believe the Lord meets us in the midst of our doubt, our unbelief, our strife and our hopeless states.
So when I am not “getting all the feels” when singing “the joy of the Lord is my strength,” I will be reminded that His word says He is my joy. He is my strength and He is my song (Psalm 118:14).
“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.” Psalms 63:3-7 ESV
-Jen Kirlin, RCC Worship Leader
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