I don’t believe the saying “Show me your bookcase and I’ll know who you are” is actually true. Your book collection does show who you want to be. In some cases it’s also a display of your aspirations. Your music collection on the other hand? Definitely tells a lot about who you are.
There can be something raw and dead-honest about singing. Music has the power to release and set free. It has the power to entice and can amplify both good and bad. Music invites you to drop your mask.
My thoughts about this were triggered by some guys from Evangeliesenteret, who were worshiping in Ålgård Baptistmenighet: imperfect music yet beautiful worship, shaky voices yet raw and dead-honest.
If you listen closely you can sometimes hear if the performer is just singing the notes, making music or if he or she is worshiping.
For worship to happen you have to believe your song – it has to resonate with who you are.
If it does, it truly is your song. Sorry composer – no longer yours :)
You can worship through singing, but can you worship by living?
Daily life shares some of the principles with singing. One key aspect valid for both is to be intentional about praising God. In daily life through your actions: not so much the what, but mostly the how (and definitely the why). Be a follower of Jesus in how you do a part of your day.
Another is to practice: you will not get it right the first time. Again, life is more about how than what. Aim high but not too high, so your disappointments inspire to try again and don’t become so powerful to inhibit you from trying again.
A third is to let go of control: performance of a song, the technical side of it, comes through practice, but to worship includes to be in awe of who God is. Shift your focus from your performance to Him.
In daily life, it helps to let yourself be amazed by the wonders of life and creation around you.
Answers to many questions of “how” are already given through examples in the bible, but don’t let that stop you from asking how those examples apply to you. Pray. God will be happy to answer the questions you may have about how. For me, this means sometimes “…” – which also is an answer.
And sometimes He’d like me to surprise Him.