Michael Higdon, our Director of Creative Arts was working on a song for a Sunday a week or so ago. The song is Carrie Underwood’s version of “How Great Thou Art”. I have it on my iPod and suggested we consider it. Michael said as he was preparing this song for practice he had one of the greatest worship experiences he has had in a while.
The next day we were discussing this song again and he said something that stuck with me. He said, “I finally stopped long enough to actually listen to the song with the intent of worship and not just planning it for Sunday.”
Wow! That was a convicting statement. How many times do I miss the truth of a passage of Scripture because I’m too intent on studying the passage so I can teach it on Sunday morning that I fail to apply the truth of that passage to my own life?
That also made me consider what other ways we may miss the big picture of God’s blessings because we are caught in the little picture of the routines of life. Sometimes we literally miss God, because we are caught up in the busyness of life.
The first example that came to my mind is how as parents we often fail to enjoy the blessing of our children, because we are too occupied by trying to provide for their needs (or their wants).
So, here’s a question to consider:
Are you experiencing the best in life, or are you too distracted by the tasks of trying to get there?
Being in ministry over the last 10 years, I wonder how many of the church services I was a part of, did I work for God at the expense of worshiping God?
It is so easy to get caught up in the details and miss God’s big picture. Even in the midst of worship, where your mind is reminded of something and there goes the focus. I recently read about a recommendation to set an alarm every 60 minutes as a reminder to stop and focus on God. I wonder if that would help. I am convinced ministry would be far more effective if we could not get caught up in the tasks and details. Thanks for the reminder.
Great post. I have often felt the spirit of the Lord admonishing me to stop and enjoy instead of getting so caught up in the actual act of carrying out my responsibilities. This is a great reminder
Ron – great post. I think all of us in ministry are guilty of this because of the pressures on us of time and productivity. We have so little time to “be still and know that I am God.” Unfortunately, that’s the sad reality.