It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.
It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires" Hebrews 4:12
As I stood there, I held my arms out...my palms were up...I was praising in a sanctuary filled with people. I had an audience of One. And that is all that mattered.
In my life, especially in earlier years, I was often concerned with 'what' people thought of me. I think a counselor would say I was 'approval' driven.
It was exhausting.
Later on, and at some point, I didn't care what anyone thought.
It was lonely.
Fortunately, I realized catering to the extremes is just not healthy!
As I have gotten older, I have moved through the extremes and have found a balance and a place of freedom.
Somewhere along the way, I realized that if I allowed God to be my only audience,
the rest would fall into place.
When I surrender...
whether I am praising Him in song or with the music of my everyday walk,
I realize yet again, so much of what I do, is never about me.
When I offer who I am to Him, and simply raise my offering
in sweet abandon to the God of the Universe...
that is precisely the moment it all makes sense.
My audience of One smiles lovingly.
It is refreshing.
Choosing to praise Him and to live in a way that is befitting a King,
is not about outward appearance.
It is instead, always about the surrender of the heart and the leaning into Him.
It is about humbling our hearts before Him.. see (James 4:10)
It is about choosing to take every thought captive and making it obedient to Christ. see (2 Corinthians 10:5)
It is about learning to trust Him, when we can't see which way He is leading. see (Romans 8:28)
We must choose not to fear what others may think when the Holy Spirit moves in us to worship freely, and live a life surrendered.
For it is in that moment, when we respond to the Spirit of the Living God, that we are finally set free.
And it is good.
(revised from my original)
Thank you, Sally!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sally!
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