Summer Survival Guide Week 7: Worship Outlaid

When the world seems like it’s collapsing in on you, everything keeps going wrong, you can’t seem to take another step, and you’re filled with crippling self-doubt and fear, where do you turn? Snow White would tell you to overcome your fears with “A Smile and a Song.” Maybe forest creatures won’t come running to comfort you (I mean, maybe they will.  I don’t know your life), but there is an element of truth to the idea. From Exodus to Revelation to the entire book of Psalms, the Bible is filled with music. Music as a tool and a weapon, music as a celebration, music as a means of praise and of worship.

Whether you’re back in your hometown, exploring another state or country, or in the ghost town that is Athens in the Summer, strangely one of the most widely experienced emotions faced during the summer is that of loneliness. Know this: you’re not alone. Not only is your Wesley family there for you whether “there” is in Athens or halfway around the world, but God is with you and has given you the tools you need to connect with Him in times of fear and loneliness as well as in times of joy and celebration. True worship (through song or otherwise) acts as a bridge between you and God that brings peace and joy no matter the circumstances.  

I’m not saying your problems will magically disappear as soon as you put your headphones on, but worship has the capability to ground us in Truth and remind us of the Lord’s goodness. Despite the widespread misunderstanding of worship as “singing about Jesus in a large group of Christians,” you don’t need to rely entirely on Wesley or the Church to worship. While there’s something unique and incredibly powerful about worshiping in a body of believers, worship can and should take so many other forms: from singing along to your favorite Bethel song in the car, to dancing like crazy in your room, even to sharing a cup of coffee over the Word with a friend. The Lord is not limited, so our worship doesn’t have to be either.

So, your goal every day for the rest of the summer is to worship who He is and all that He has done, is doing, and will do in your life. Take ten minutes at the start of your day to focus your mind on the Lord’s character and simply rest in thankfulness and trust. We’ve created a playlist of worship songs for you (link below), but remember that worship goes deeper than just singing. Worship sticks to the core of our being and changes our outlook on life.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
- Romans 12:1-2
 
https://open.spotify.com/user/ugawesley/playlist/0FC0FrRRurtc5xA1LCMFK3
 
Author | Melissa Merrick