I’m not Supposed to Be Here

Praise and worship… Have you noticed the that overwhelming majority of church services begin with this activity? Have you ever thought about why? It’s because praise and worship sets the atmosphere. But what happens when we set an atmosphere of praise and worship at home, in our cars, or whatever season we happen to find ourselves in?

Some of Life’s Seasons are Hard

I looked at someone’s social media post recently, and I could literally feel this person’s pain inside my own body. They were in a place in life that definitely wasn’t of their choosing, and their words were so powerful that they caused me to reflect on my own season in life. 

I’ll be honest, this season has not been easy. You’ve heard me talk multiple times about being a caretaker for my father. That was never in my plan. I turned 40 recently—it was never in my plan to be living with my parents at this point in life either. More days than not, it pains me more deeply than I care to admit. I thought I would be married with children—at the very least be deep in my career and coming home to my own beautifully decorated, organized place and my dog. None of that has come to fruition yet, and it literally brings tears to my eyes as I type. 

Shifting the Atmosphere With Praise and Worship

After reading the social media post I went to put on some worship music and finish my workout. I pressed “play” and instead of the song I thought I was going hear, another one began filling my ear. I’ll share the first few lines with you…

I'm not supposed to be here right now
See I was so down
I can't believe how I'm here right now
Thank God I'm here right now

If this didn’t stop me in my tracks. God has a way of doing that though. How many times have I said, “I’m not supposed to be here right now,” “It’s not supposed to be like this, “This was not my plan?”

The answer is too many to count.

I continued listening to the song and several others as I lifted my weights.  And before long, I found that I wasn’t so focused on my season but more so on the FACT that God has nonetheless been good to me during this difficult time. I found myself crying, dancing, lifting my arms, waving my hands—I was praising and worshipping.

The Power of Praise and Worship

The irony of this morning’s sermon topic at my church in Florida was not lost on me: “Unchosen Chains.” The campus pastor asked the question, “What do you do when you find yourself bound, chosen, and stuck in a situation you didn’t choose?” And one of the points he made was that praise changes our perspective. It may not change the situation, but it may change the way we view it. 

When we praise and worship God, it is our invitation to God to come into our situation. It is there, in that moment, in that place, that He can create change.

When you find yourself frustrated with your season, and struggling underneath the weight of your unchosen chains, I want to encourage you to shift the atmosphere with praise and worship. Put on some music, let the tears flow, and let the Holy Spirit work.