When Your Praise is Not Enough

In congregations and at Christian community gatherings, it is 
our joy to praise and worship God. Although there are many styles of music,
Christians throughout all generations have enjoyed singing songs of faith to
God. They know that worshipping God pleases Him. 


Giving praise to God, however, is more than singing beautiful songs.
We know that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). Where
God is, there is healing, strength, deliverance, power to overcome, hope,
forgiveness, and everything else that we need in our lives. Not only does God
want to help us in our daily lives, He also desires to change us to be more like Him.
(Actually, changing us to become more like Him, is one of the best ways He
helps us in our daily lives.) But, if we only approach praise and worship as a
joyous event, we have missed much of what God wants to do in our lives.
As we “enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise,”
we are to submit ourselves to what God wants to do in our lives. As we surrender to Him,
He changes us from “glory to glory.” Wow!  Amazing! We praise God, and
good things happen to us. And, good things also happen to those in the congregation
as God uses us to  minister to them.


But everyone does not come to church expecting or wanting growth
and change in their own lives. Many are satisfied with their lives and just want
God to rescue them from their current problem.  Too many don’t realize that
God can and will change them during praise and worship, if they allow Him. 
They just like the joyous music that declares our love for God. 


Let’s take a look at those who minister through music.  Your life may
be focused on loving and serving God with your whole heart, while raising
your family to do the same. Excellent! Praise God! Or, your life may be a
disaster, right now.  You may be ministering to people, but living a life that
does not glorify God. Your sin may include: sexual sin or addictions to
alcohol, illegal drugs, or pornography. You may abuse family members,
teachers, or the elderly. Sins of pride, fear, worry, anger, profane language,
unforgiveness, greed, envy, or depression  may have strongholds in
your life. You may be addicted to violent and/or sexual movies, video games,
sexting, or some other perversion. You may not be doing any of these things, but
instead, enabling others to have time and money to spend on sinful pursuits.
 
Know this: What you are doing in secret, is not a secret to God.  Your sin is
separating you from God   (Isaiah 59:2). You may say that you are still
ministering to others; they are being blessed. Oh, God may allow you to
continue ministering to others for a season, but He will not let you come
near unto Him in your own life. The emptiness and detachment you feel,
is because of your sin.  "The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer 
of the righteous" (Proverbs 15:29). If you want God to hear your prayers,
you will repent for the sin that separates you from Him.
 
This is exactly what has happened in many pastors' lives. You have wondered
how God could let them continue to minister to others when He sees what
they are doing. They are not getting away with it. God allows ministry to take
place because of the need and the faith of the people who are receiving the
ministry.  People may hide their sin for a while, but it will become known by
others if they do not allow God to deal with it. This is not only true about pastors,  
it is true about Christian musicians as well.

It starts with admitting that we have sinned and asking God to forgive us.
1 John 1:9   If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God wants us repent. Repent means to be truly sorry for our sin and actively
trust Him to help us change. God loves us, but those He loves, He chastens.
To confirm this, please read the entire scripture below:


Hebrews 12:1-15

1. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 

2. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right
hand of the throne of God.

 3. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you
become weary and discouraged in your souls.

4. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

5. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged
when you are rebuked by Him;

6. For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He
receives.”

7. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there
whom a father does not chasten? 

8. But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are
illegitimate and not sons. 

9. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid
them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father
of spirits and live? 
 
10.  For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them,
but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 
 
11. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless,
afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been
trained by it.

12. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 

13. And make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may
not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

14.  Pursue peace with all people and holiness, without which no one will
see the Lord: 

15.  Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of
bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;



What does Jesus say about us loving Him?
Is worship the main way we demonstrate our love for God?  
Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15).

Our praise and worship flow from a heart that has a relationship with God.
Praise and worship are the result of our love for God, what He has
done for us, and what we are trusting Him to do for us in the future.  

How can we say that we love God and not listen to Him or obey Him? 
This is a matter of integrity; this is sin. Our praise is not enough to
separate us from our sin. 
 
Some of you may need to step down from ministry for a season while you allow God to
straighten things out in your life. It will be worth it. I know you value music,
but we must desire God more than the music He has given us.  
 
In this day, with so many leaders demonstrating their lack of integrity and self-control,
it may be easy to think that “everyone is doing it. After all, we live in modern times;
we don’t think about sin too much.  Know this: Those who love and serve God,
pursue holiness, for they desire to see the Lord operating in their own lives
today. And finally, they desire to see the Lord on when He takes them home to
forever be with Him.

Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,…
But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”  (Joshua  24:15). 
 
Dear Christian musician, God stands ready and willing to forgive you and
change your heart and life to glorify Him. Then when you minister through
music, you will touch the very heart of God, for your sin will no longer
separate you from Him. And, He will take you to greater heights of praise,
worship and ministry because you are choosing Him over the things of this world.

©   Mary Willock,  2014 - 2020
You have  permission to print copies of this article for use in your personal or church related ministry.