When I was little my grandma used to play Mahalia Jackson on the stereo. It used to make me feel like crying, her voice was so amazing and it just pulled at those 6 year old heart-strings. I would find myself singing these songs even when they weren't on the stereo. What I didn't connect with was that I was worshipping.
Now as an adult who suffers with mental illness there are just some days that I just do not feel like I have the energy to do anything, let alone worship. It makes it hard when you are the leader of prayer and worship for your church, but you have to push through.
The question "Can you worship when you don't feel like it?" The answer is "Yes you can." You ask how? According to John Piper there are four levels of worship:
1. Overflowing: This is the level when the best of your worship comes out. This is the heart swelling, tears streaming, hands raised, body moving, loud praises come flowing out of every part of your heart and body. God is magnified.
2. Longing to overflow: This is when you come tired and want to worship but it just is taking a bit longer. God sees this in you and he loves it. This level can start out longing and become overflowing very easy.
3. Seeds of Treasuring God: God looks at this seed in you and He see that there is remorse there, He knows that there are reasons you feel are valid blocking your worship but you also feel sad. He still loves you and your worship.
4. No overflowing, no longing, no seed of treasuring = non-worship. This level you need to reach out and talk about what may be causing you to feel this way. God doesn't want to see us in this state ever.
This shows that we can be all over the map and be noticed by God. He knows when He is being treasured. Let's love the withdrawal and let's love the lingering because worship begets worship. God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him.~John Piper
Yours in Christ
Heather
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