I love music and I have many favorite gospel songs that I turn to when it feels like life is starting to get the best of me. One of my newest favorites is "I Choose to Worship" by Pastor Wess Morgan. Pastor Morgan' voice ministers so powerfully through that song, and after recently learning about his equally powerful testimony, I appreciate the song even more.
Pastor Morgan readily admits that he gave his parents a real hard time when he was growing up. He turned to alcohol and drugs at a young age, around 10 years old. He was in and out of juvenile detention centers and lived a hard life even after he grew up and got married. But thank God his parents knew that if they would just "train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he would not depart from it."
God has done such a transformative work in him, that when Pastor Wess proclaims "I Choose to Worship," you know it's coming from the depths of his sanctified, Spirit-filled soul.
In spite of all the bad choices he made and horrible situations he found himself in, he still made the CHOICE to worship God. So,what's our excuse? There was a time when it wasn't easy at all for Pastor Wess to simply choose to do the right thing because the wrong things were literally driving past his house daily, seeking to tempt him. Hopefully, most of us don't have that level of pressure tempting us to do wrong. If we did, some of us would just have to go on permanent house arrest to keep from getting into trouble!
Too often, when we are tempted, hurting, frustrated or disappointed, no matter how much we say or proclaim our trust in Christ, the last thing we choose to do is worship. The key here, is that we have to remember we do have a CHOICE. The enemy, our pride or other emotions will tell us that we have no other choice but to be angry, get even, speak our mind, etc. These things usually only inflame the situation and burn out everyone involved.
R&B legends Earth, Wind & Fire were on to something when they sang, "When you feel down and out, sing a song, it'll make your day. You need a lil' time to shout on out, sing a song, it'll make a way...." Imagine what would hapen if, in the middle of a "heated discussion," instead of shouting at one another, we started singing one of our favorite gospel songs!
Ok, maybe that might not go over too well in every situation, but we could at least make melody in our hearts and let a favorite song bring us back into rememberance of God's faithfulness to us. It could help change the tone of the conversation, and if nothing else, change the tone in our hearts.
When we choose to worship and give a sacrifice of praise in the midst of adversity, it reminds us that God is the unseen presence in all of our conversations and interactions. We can't ever really leave God out of our discussions because He's already there and deserves our reverence and respect at all times, regardless of what we are doing or how we feel at any given moment.
Sure, we can choose to ignore His presence and instead curse one another out, threaten one another, gossip about one another, and so on. But, when I consider all my choices and what they will yield in the long term... I Choose to Worship.
BNcouraged!
Rev. Karen
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