“David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.”
2 Samuel 12:19-20 NIV
It’s always a pleasure to worship when things are going well. When we’re happy . When you just got the new job, when you have been promoted, when the godly good man finally proposes, when the child you prayed for is in your arms, when the bills are paid off or when the doctor says ,”You are cancer free.” Those are ideal moments to worship and lift our hands and joyfully express our gratitude yes? But there are times when it feels like the world is crashing on you. When the only joygiving thing you hear is your heart beat, “Thank God I’m still alive.”
I always think of Job. The man had just heard that literally all he had was gone but he didn’t throw a tantrum, he didn’t go seeking for spiritualists or witch doctors, he didn’t even call his friends to tell them how displeased he was about God, he tore his robes and worshipped. Lately I’ve been feeling the heat of the fire and the coldness of the water. When ever it feels like my shoulders are too tired I bow before God and encourage myself in the Lord by saying His names. “Lord You are Good. Lord You are Wonderful. Lord You are Faithful.”
David just lost his son but he finds himself in a worship posture. I thought that’s the time to wail and type statuses about how unfaithful God is and why me’s. Waiting is hard. It does not only test our loyalty to God , it tests our endurance. When you keep getting bad reports does that suffocate your worship?
It’s easy to talk about worshiping in the midst of your pain . It’s easy to write blog posts, preach sermons, discuss, and sing songs about the trial and the pain. It’s even easier to advise others to do it. But what does one actually do when the situation in their lives is increasingly overwhelming.
- When your pillows are wet from crying because you have no words to express how you feel, what does your worship look like?
- When you lose a son or daughter, parent, spouse , what does your worship look like?
- When you receive a terrible diagnosis and the doctor says you don’t have long to live, what does your worship look like?
- When you suddenly lose your job, business goes down and you are between a rock and a hard place, what does your worship look like?
- When you experience a cycle of failure and you are devoted to prayer and fasting but you’re just not arising, what does your worship look like?
- What about being in the forefront and you are the one encouraging others to keep going, keep fighting but you aren’t getting that same encouragement and you feel weary because you have poured and poured and no one sees that you also need a refill, what does your worship look like?
By worshiping him in the midst of our suffering we force ourselves to, for a time, stop looking at ourselves and fix our eyes on the one who is faithful and steadfast – never changing in his love for us. When l lost a good job l had prayed and fasted for, I was shattered. I questioned so many things like ,”But I prayed. I testified. You know how much this was an aid in my life. Why take what feels like a gift.” I then remembered how many times l prayed “let your will be done” but did I really want His will done even if it meant losing a couple of things or going through a few trials?
I don’t know what this means for you. All l can say is, our worship to God is more than just “l feel like this and that,” it is our devotion to Him. I love it when the Bible says David encouraged himself in the Lord. How? He worshipped. Praising God through the tears is one of the most beautiful lessons I’ve learned in my faith journey. With tears in my eyes I arise and dance mightily, done it many many times. Will I worship God if everything goes wrong in my life? Would you? It’s easy to worship God when everything’s going your way. It’s easy to be a fair-weather believer. But what happens when everything goes badly in your life? Would you still trust God? That’s the ultimate test of faith. You’re going to be tested. That’s guaranteed. At some point in your life, everything is going to fall apart.
Choose to stay by His feet. Don’t you waiver. Cry if you wanna but don’t you leave. Stay right there. Give Him the glory. He has seen and He has heard.