Worship Through Advent: A Seasonal Devotional for Your Worship MinistrySample

Worship with Joy

Have you ever shown up on Sunday morning and genuinely had a tough time getting all the way there? Maybe your mind is in ten other places, or you’ve had a hard week. Maybe you’ve had a hard year or more. If that has ever been you, there is good news. James, the half-brother of Jesus, opens his letter in the New Testament with the words, “count it all joy.” He goes on to explain that our trials and sufferings can be counted as joy because they produce important things in us that help bring us closer to God. While that feels good to read and seems tolerable to say, it is another thing entirely to sing. Singing has a way of getting to the very core of who we are. We use breath to fill our lungs, mouths to form words, and minds to form thoughts and beliefs. Our bodies even get involved as we lift our hands, bow our heads, and respond as the Spirit leads. Singing is all-encompassing and, therefore, hard to do when joy is lacking. But there is beauty in the exchange that happens as a believer. We exchange our suffering with Jesus, and in turn, we receive the endless joy He offers. When Jesus was born, there was an eruption of joy in the skies over a shepherd’s field. That moment marked history, but it was not an isolated event. Every day, when you make the decision to count it all joy, you can sing with the fullness of joy just like the angels sang in Bethlehem. Don’t let this day pass you by without worshiping Jesus with the fullness of joy freely offered to you. Your singing will be different. Your worship will be different. And you will be forever changed.