It’s not been a good month for me. At all. I’ve had disappointments and let-downs. My left ear constantly reminds me that it’s not happy. After repeat doctor visits, it’s looking like time is the only thing that will hopefully heal it. Not exactly what I want to hear. I want magic ear drops that make it all better.
Because of my ear/eustachian tube issue, my energy level is totally zapped. The smallest task leaves me drained. I’ve just about given up on everything just to let my body rest.
I hate to say it, but I think worship is among the things I’ve given up on. I’ve tried picking up my Bible, or journaling, or praying, and the energy simply is not there. It’s really hard to worship when you feel like crap.
And that’s not okay. God still deserves praise even when I don’t feel good.
So how do I worship when I feel like I’m at one of the lowest points I’ve been in awhile?
For one, realizing that God accepts my feeble prayer. He doesn’t need big, flowery words. He knows my heart, and He knows I love Him deeply even when I can’t say it like I want to.
Another way is to keep pushing through and not give up. Acknowledge that I don’t feel good but don’t wallow in the self pity (not that I ever do that…)
And one last way is to worship Him through the rest that I so desperately need right now. God knows rest is important, and when we take the time for it, I believe we honor Him.
How have you worshipped in your low points?
Be encouraged. You are moving forward…even if it is slowly, that is INFINITELY BETTER than stopping altogether!! (We are ALL going much slower than we would like to go I’d bet.)
Thanks, Jim.
In the low points, I try to do something different. Something new, something radical.
Can you give an example? I feel a blog post brewing here 😉 haha
Markers make everything better for me. One day I took my big pack of colors and wrote out and prayed single song lines as they came to mind. The paper was a mess (and completely plagiarized) but I don’t think God cared.
I’m blogging about this in the near future but looking someone in the eye and encouraging them is worship. I’ve been trying to do a Weds worship series but it keeps getting interrupted (and that’s not a bad thing).
Katie
I love this. I like crayons and often color or write with them. Very therapeutic. I love how you lift that up as a form of worship.
I’d define worship as anything bringing glory to God–markers and crayons included.
There were times in my life where I had nothing left in me to give. Everything and I mean, Every-Thing was going wrong. I felt like a tsunami hit me. I would lay in my bed, looking up at the ceiling wishing God would take me out of my misery. But thankfully, He would bring someone along the way who would give me an encouraging word, or I would get a text from someone out of the blue and slowly, but surely, I would put one foot in front of the other and get through each day by His grace. I just leaned on Him. I would tell Him, I have nothing in me right now, please help me Lord and He would. He still does. He’s awesome like that. Jamie, just hang in there friend, you don’t need to do anything, just be and just talk to Him, tell him how you feel, He can handle it. I am praying.
Thanks for sharing, Pilar!
Centering or contemplative prayer has
been my place of rest and worship. This practice was reintroduced in the 70s by the
Catholic church, based on teaching of some 14th century Christian mystics. In essence,
it is meditation, based in christian teachings. To ‘learn’ to take time to be
quiet internally (so hard in our noisy, busy world) and enjoy God and His
presence is for me the best worship and the fulfilment of Jesus’ promise of rest. Analogous, it is similar to being a
wonderful human relationship where no talking in needed, presence alone is enjoyable.
This has reinforced that God’s requires nothing from me; He desires my company.
With a chronic 20-year and occasionally extremely debilitating illness, this
practice has become a mainstay in my relationship with God.
I so need to learn how to do this. Being still and centered and quiet is such a challenge for me.
I think you hit the nail on the head. “For one, realizing that God accepts my feeble prayer.” God knows our thoughts. He knows what we are going through. He is with us. I think sometimes we need to realize that God is sitting there with us. He hurts when you hurt.
I think we often worry too much about worshiping Him, when He just wants you to rest in His arms. Sometimes when we are in our low points is when we realize how much we have not been truly trusting Him. When we are at our lowest, we have nothing else to do but trust. Continuing to pray for you!
Thanks, Tammy. I was once told, “Don’t do. Just be.” I have to remember that often.
Ahh I hope your ear gets better. Being sick feels terrible. 🙁
Thanks. Trying to stay optimistic.
I do think you are right in that you try to
continue to do the things you believe are right now matter how you feel. I think that takes a lot of discipline but I
think long term it is worth it. We often
learn more through these dark times than we do when it is not so hard. Even knowing that I do not want anyone to tell
me. I just must do that which I know is
needed and let what comes of it flow. I do not think we stand still… we move closer to God or we move away. So I think even the smallest efforts move us towards God and where we need to be.
I hope your ear gets better soon!
Thanks, Mark!
It sounds crazy, but I almost worship BETTER during those times. It’s then that I havecto depend on Him. During the good times, I focus too much on me.
Very good point. I tend to do the same.