Leading Worship When You Don't "Feel Like It"

I talk to Worship Leaders on occasion when they have had a hard week or a bad day and then face the responsibility to lead others in worship.  Worship Leader, has this ever happened to you?  What did you do?

If you are not a Worship Leader, what would you say to a Worship Leader who doesn't "feel like" leading.

Comments

[Pastor Marc Jones]

Well as a Senior Pastor who has learned to be more open with his worship pastor I would say lets lock arms and do this together because I know what you mean about just not wanting to do something at that time,its like a season that will change just surround yourself with great leaders and let them speak words of encouragement to you.Jesus I beleive had those times and in them times is when He excused himself to a quiet place for some much needed rest and refreshing.Keep your focus even in times of not wanting too.Because all forward leaders have them moments.

[nathan]

View: "I'm mad and I'm leading worship" at:

http://www.rethinkingworship.com/2008/11/worshipping-in-pain-2-im-mad-and-im.html

[Him]

I'm constantly learning more and more each day that it's not about me. Not just with the worship team but everywhere. It helps me get past where I am when I don't "feel like it." Sometimes are easier than others, but that's life.

[dex]

Well, as a worship leader and musician, we are often times too reliant on 'feelings' as a guide for actions. But I have found that actions, more times than not, influence emotions.
So when I live out my commitment to lead while I'm not 'feeling it', my heart still softens when I sing of His love. My eyes still well up when I think of His grace. Next thing you know, I'm feeling it...
As a side note, worship is also a place for me to escape from whatever I'm feeling, as well. I can run away, in worship, and lose myself in that moment. There's nothing else in life that affords me that opportunity.

[Brian Howe]

I don't "lead worship" but I lead our Worship Leaders. We focus on the fact that we can't focus on us...we are learning that Worship in a lot of ways is taking the focus and attention off of us and our feelings and placing it on Him.

[Rona Davis]

I am not a worship leader, but I am a creative. I direct advertising campaigns and I host a radio and internet ministry. I love Aubrey's post - especially the comment that as creatives we always FEEL, that's why we do what we do. A former actress, I have lived my life on feelings. It's the DISCIPLINE I painfully struggle with. I am a creative with feelings and a very high degree of ADHD and a pension for drama. I have to rely on God for the discipline because I simply do not have it in me.

There are times when I hit the studio to record the radio show and interview my guests that I do not feel like it. I am rushed and stressed and I have a million things swirling around in my head. I can't seem to land the brain plane to settle in and focus on that particular show, that particular guest. I stop, I pray, I ask God to take over. I know that while some of it is my own time management deficiencies and some of it my lack of discipline a great deal of it is spiritual warfare!! I know that every guest I have has a story to tell that will touch someone's life in a way nothing ever has. Someone will break free from hearing that one interview! The devil is ticked and we are on the run, on the offense!

That leads me to the real purpose of this comment. What YOU do, Pace, and ALL YOU WORSHIP LEADERS is so extraordinarily important!!! You set the stage for the message. You are tools of God to take my (our) hearts and have them putty in His hands so I (we) may be able to hear Him more clearly!! With your powerful and awesome worship creations, you break through the clutter of my mind, the distraction of my stress, the walls of my frustration. You slow down my mind and my heart. You reach through to the depths of my emotions. You prepare me to worship my King! By the time Ed takes the stage, or the guest speaker, I am putty in God's hands and I am FULLY ENGAGED in the message He is using all of you to deliver to all of us!!!

As a member of Felloship I can tell you that the worship team has never failed to achieve or accomplish that all important goal!!

Freedom + Purpose + Restoration = Abundant Life!
Rona Davis
The Freedom Hour

[Ed]

When this happens to me,I generally start praying for God to reveal areas of brokenness I have ignored or areas I must cling to Him to get me through and this usually will shift things back around and correct my perspective. I must say that this happens more to me at rehearsal than at actual church services.

[Matt Bunk]

I've actually said the congregation before while leading, "I don't feel like being here. I've had a bad day. But that is no indication of whether God wants to move in my life or your life right now. In fact, I've learned to expect more when I'm not 'feeling it'."

[Mike Z]

There are definitely days that I don't feel like leading worship. I know there is a bigger picture though. I know that I've got to push past my personal preference or current "feelings" of not wanting to and strive toward obedience because when i do that, the reward is always greater than i ever could have imagined. Some of the days where i started out not feeling like it, ended up being some of the most intimate times with God.

[Aubrey Sanchez]

I have really been chewing on John 4:23-24. It is amazing how many times I have heard this scripture, but never really took time to unpack its truths. There is an equation in that passage and I have really been trying to make sure that my life is "adding" up to it.

spirit + truth = true worship

spirit and truth work together to create true worship.

spirit is pneuma:
a simple essence; the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of any one; the efficient source of any power, affection, emotion, desire, etc.

I translate spirit as more of a soulish expression. It is being aware and sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His Presence. It is "feeling it." As a worship leader, and most creative and artistic types, this part is easy. We feel everything. It is a strength, but it is only half of true worship. There is still the truth part.

truth is alethia:
of course alethia is God's truth in any situation you are looking at, but there is an internal (subjective) definition for it as well: truth as a personal excellence; that candour of mind which is free from affection, pretence, simulation, falsehood, deceit

Truth simply translates to me discipline. It is disciplining yourself to be excellent at whatever God has you doing. That may be mastering your instrument or getting up and leading when you are not "feeling" it.

I think that it is important that we understand that true worship takes "feeling" it and discipline. Our worship is handicapped if we are only functioning out of one of these. The equation is spirit + truth. That means they add to each other to accomplish true worship.

With that said, I know sometimes I have to realize that my spirit (little s) is fickle. But God's Spirit (big S) is not. So, I have to look beyond my little s spirit and tap into the other part of true worship. That is just sheer discipline because God told me to. I have learned to have big expectations when I am not "feeling" it. Many times when we do tap into the truth part of worship, God's big S rocks our little s. Some of the best worship moments are born out of these times, because when we are weak, He makes us strong.

[Jerry Burnett]

To the worship leader who doesn't "feel like" leading out...I have to remind myself...God has placed me here in this moment first of all..to lead...I am human and am not perfect...I am not always going to be in that "happy spot" to lead out. So I must get on the "altar", embrace God's grace and live my life as a daily sacrifice and beg God to take over. I can't get off the altar when I don't feel perfect...I have to continuously-everyday- get back on the altar and not give in to the guilt of Satan's lies. I have found that when I'm in "that place"...God moves so much because I get out of the way and have to rely solely on Him.

[Daniel Koster]

I'm not a worship leader, but the first thought that popped into my head, "Some days I don't feel like being married." Some days you just got to grin and bear it, start telling God you love him and worship him as if he were the type of guy that would take a brutal execution for you if that's what you needed.

I wish I could say something less cliche and more practical. But the only other comment I have is something I'm still learning to apply myself: Gratitude is the secret to happiness. On a bad day you can focus on what's wrong and missing in life, or you can try to remember what you do have and be grateful for it. I'm hoping with enough practice it comes more naturally, because it does work.