As a church I find that we care far too much about what others think of us. And unfortunately we spend a lot of time judging everyone who walks through the doors on a Sunday morning.
And I'm a little confused about this. Isn't within the body of Christ where people are supposed to feel the least judged in the world we live in? Aren't people supposed to feel accepted and loved?
One of my teammates wrote a blog that really inspired me to write on this subject. I used to be worshiping with a group of people and would be concerned about what the person next to me would think if I put my hands up in the air. At training camp in Georgia during worship, one of the leaders went up in the front and said something like this, "You guys seriously need to forget about the person standing next to you. When you are worshiping picture this. You and God. You're at His feet. That's all that matters."
It wasn't that my worship was worth anything less to God before that point. But I'll tell you, that moment was the true turning point in my worship life. So if you're like I was, I encourage you to just be whoever God is calling you to be. Because that's the best possible you there is. If He tells you to put your hand up in praise of Him and all that He is. Do it. If he tells you to stand still and not move a muscle. Obey.
And do us all a favor. Don't judge the person next to you. Don't think because they don't have their hands raised up in the air they aren't as close to God as you are. From now on dedicate your worship to who we should really be focused on. God. The people around you don't know what's going on in your heart. They can't tell you what your relationship with God really is. The bond between you and God is....between you and God.
Imagine a church full of people who were worshiping exactly the way God is telling them to. Can you see it? I picture the entire world moving aside, being blown back because of the power of our obedience in God.
When God tells us to do something He expects us to obey. If the church body is praying for someone and God is clearly telling you to reach your hand out in the middle of service to form a connection don't be concerned about what the person sitting next to you is going to think. Because it just doesn't matter. God is looking for you to step out. To do what He's asking you. He's asking you to follow Him even if it means looking a little goofy to the world sometimes. Just remember, in Heaven you won't be answering to the person who sat next to you in in church one Sunday morning. You'll be answering to God. And who knows, maybe He'll ask something like this, "That morning I asked you to lift your hands in the middle of church service when you were surrounded by a hundred people and not one of them was lifting their hands, did you do it? Did you obey?"
What do you want your answer to be? Whatever He asks me I want to be able to tell Him I obeyed.
So the next time you're worshiping, try closing your eyes and picturing yourself at the foot of the throne of God. And then picture whatever you would do.....and do it! It's not just in your imagination you're at the foot of the throne. You actually are!
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