Psalm 100:2 presents some problems for me. It reads:
Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
I can serve the Lord. No problem. He says, “Lead worship”, I say, “How many songs?” It’s the gladness part that makes things difficult for me. Because most of the time I don’t feel especially glad about serving the Lord.
For example, our church recently went from one service to two. That means I now get to do everything twice. Lead worship, hear the sermon, give the exhortation, etc. And I really am grateful for the opportunity to serve God and his people in this way. But I have to admit, on Saturday night I’m not always overflowing with gladness.
On Saturday night, my version of Psalm 100:2 usually goes something like this:
Buckle down and serve the Lord, even if you don’t feel like doing it, because it will be over soon enough and you can go home and rest.
Have you ever felt this way? Like you just aren’t in the mood to do any serving and you would rather stay at home and lay on the couch with a bag of chips next to you?
But recently I’ve been made aware of a simple truth that has helped me. God and his people are worthy of all my enthusiasm and gladness.
God is worthy of two worship services. Of six worship services. Of a thousand worship services. His worth doesn’t diminish based on my feelings. The preciousness of God’s people doesn’t lessen along with my energy. God and his church are objectively worthy of all that I can muster. Period.
I can’t be content to serve God glumly. When I’m not in a “serving mood” (as if there ever was such a thing), I need to remember that God is worthy and then ask him for fresh strength and gladness. Then I need to just get moving and quit feeling so sorry for myself.
What has helped you to serve the Lord with gladness?
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For over 2 yrs I've been voluntarily helping a widowed man care for his elderly disabled mother, and over those 2 yrs, she has little by little increased her demands on my time and energy. Just this week she requested that I do something that will double the work I already do for her. Honestly. I don't want to do it, but I know I should, and therefore, I will. I often remind myself of something Chris Brauns posted months ago. "You will know you are truly a servant when someone treats you like one." Very convicting. Sometimes when I am on my way to serve this lady I ask the Lord to make me a cheerful giver. God loves a cheerful giver…and I don't think that only means the giver of money.
Wow, that quote by Christ Brauns really is challenging. Thanks for sharing that!
It's like you can read my mind, Stephen… lol
One component that's helpful to me is knowledge. Knowing that it's not about whether people appreciate me, or about whether my senior pastor's wife is very difficult to deal with, or anything else I'd come up with on a day like today. My worship (and my leading it) is based on who God is and on His glory and His love. Knowing that helps.
Honestly, one of the helpful things is having accountability structure. It's commonplace to recommend accountability structures for people with REAL problems like addictions. But self-pity is an addiction. So I need people around me who are aware of my struggle. People like my wife and my home group and my friends. Lone soldiers don't last long in a war zone.
In the end, too, I have to remember that I love teaching through song. I love playing music and singing. I love lifting people off their feet, just for a second. I love seeing people worship God. I love when I can just bleed out on stage (forgive the imagery) and leave it all up there in worship to God. It's fun. It's exhausting, too, but it's fulfilling in a way little else is. It gets so complicated with church politics and personal struggles and team dynamics, but in the end we worship because it's who God made us to be, and we won't be happy unless we're doing it.
And above all, worship is about relationship. Get with God, confess, and get the relationship restored. Worship flows from love – so get love and share it.
Of course I preach to myself. =D Thanks for the thought-provoking post.
You're right, accountability really is helpful. I need the insights of others, because I can't see the way on my own.
Hi Stephen, I know this sounds like your standard Christian-ese but two things have helped me and one builds on the other.
The first is reminding myself of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the privilege of adoption. When I continually remind myself of the centrality of the gospel in every area of life, I’m continually humbled.
Then, the second, based on that fact, is viewing serving as a privilege and opportunity because I’m saved, blessed, redeemed, adopted and rewarded (both here and in eternity) which brings about a fresh dose of humility. God enables, equips and provides all of the resources and yet He rewards US for the work! How awesome is that!?
I echo Ben’s comments–all five fingers pointing directly back at me.
Thanks for continuing to serve us in writing–I hope this is encouraging as we strive to press on!
Although I don't serve God's people by leading worship, preaching, etc, God has allowed me to serve in many other ways. I am grateful for that, it is always humbling, insightful, and a blessing. One thing that the Holy Spirit does for me when I'm serving others is to remind me of just how very much I have, how God has provided for me, and provided abuntantly. Not just materialistically, but with faithful brothers and sisters in the Lord that love me, a Gospel-preaching church, my children, etc. When I am aware of just how truely blessed beyond measure I am, and how well taken care of and loved I am, then God's grace to serve is always there. Serving comes as an overflow. KNOWING that God takes care of me and meets ALL my needs, perfectly, faithfully, enables me to serve (to take care of) others.
BethAnn you are such a servant in our church. I hope that I can be half the servant you are. We're certainly going to miss you!
Thanks for your transparency, Stephen! Certainly, we have all been tempted to be sluggish, tired of serving! But…..it's the coming into His presence part that brings us out of that! We are His people and He has called us to come into His presence! He tells me to "serve Him with gladness"…..that means He has made provision for me to do just that! All I need to do is to receive freely from my Father all that He has to pour into me. I really do need to be reminded that it "really isn't about me!" He calls me a mere earthen vessels, into His presence. I guess the bottom line is that He is the one who has made me, I am not my own AND……I AM grateful!!! I AM truly thankful for ALL that He has done for me…..When I begin here, it is not long before I am entering His court with praise.,,,,and leaving those "feelings" behind.
For me it's trying to lead the church when I am having issues with with some of my leadership. I don't want to get up there and lead worship when I'm trying to work out my differences with those I lead with. But I do it simply cause God wants my worship. I don't worship those I lead with so I put them out of mind and focus on Christ and just worship Him. In those times it's not so much about leading others as it is about worshiping Him myself and wanting to hear from him and just enjoying being in His presence, not the presence of those who I'm having difficulties with.
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