“Judge not, lest you be judged.”
Matthew 7:1
I’ve always considered myself a pretty non-judgemental person. I give others grace. I know I’m not perfect and I don’t expect perfection from others. Somewhere along the way, that changed. I’ve become an extremely judgmental person, at least as far as worship goes. I hate it.
I’ve been in denial about it for awhile, thinking my thoughts were justified. Perhaps some have been, but it’s no excuse for the judgmental thoughts I’ve had toward worship leaders. People whose heart I know is in the right place, people who are genuinely loving on God with all their musical ability. I judge them and roll my eyes during their worship set because of a certain song they choose or the way they lead.
I am a judgmental person and for that I repent. God, help me.
I want to walk into worship and have grace for the people that are up on stage. Even if I hate every song they do, I want to see what they’re doing as real, heartfelt worship. I want to offer them the grace that I so desperately need.
I’m fighting this hard. It gets so engrained in you and it’s hard to get it out. I feel like I take things so personally. When a worship leader shouts out instructions that I don’t feel like doing, I let out an audible huff and cross my arms in front of me. I don’t need to follow every instruction thrown out by leaders (I don’t want to jump up and down. That’s not authentic worship for me), but I also don’t need to act so offended that they are making efforts to engage me in worship.
To every worship leader that I have judged, I am sorry.
I think we tend to judge those in positions that we have been in and sometimes harshly. I think we have to do what you have done and realize the tendency to do that and try to move from it. We need to take care of ourselves instead of worrying how someone else is doing even if we think we know better. It is hard to do sometimes but it is right not to judge them.
I think we should pray for the person in this case. It is hard to judge someone you are praying for.
Yes! Prayer does wonders in a case like this.
Great thoughts Jamie. I too, am often too quick to judge. (I made this confession in my post today too-go figure!) It takes patience and wisdom not to be quick to judge. I too am sorry for my judging.
Hi Jamie.
I think sometimes all these weird thoughts come into our brain right when the worship starts. “Why does the person in front have poofy hair?” Oh no, prejudging! “Why did so-and-so do this?” Oh no, self-righteousness! And then we get beat up, because of our own failings. Yet a further distraction.
Thank God for grace to help us get through!
Amen. Glad I’m not the only one who gets distracted by things like poofy hair.