[This post is part of a brand new blog series, “Your Guide to Practicing the Essential Skills of a Worship Leader“. Check out the other posts here.]
We all know that worship leaders lead.
They are musical people. They’ve practiced singing or guitar or leadership or public speaking. But what about the presence of God?
Can that be practiced?
When I was twelve years old, my Mom gave me a book that changed my life. It was called The Practice of the Presence of God
This small book is about a monk who decided that the presence of God shouldn’t be reserved for church services or prayer times. It was about all of life.
Whether he was washing dishes, going for a walk, or performing other duties, he was focused on communicating with God.
Transforming Your Mundane
The key, he said, was to turn mundane activities into prayer. I know what you’re thinking: “Well, that’s great for a monk! But my life is too complicated, too busy, too intense.”
The truth is, if you’re a worship leader, there’s no better way to invest your time than practicing the presence of God. And it’s not as spooky or super-spiritual as it sounds.
Because it’s what we do. It’s who we are.
Before we are musicians and singers, we are lovers of Jesus.
Before we love the spotlight and swinging guitars on stage, we love the presence of God.
But if we don’t know how to personally cultivate His presence, how can we expect to lead others to do the same?
I’ve found that the best worship leading is putting your private life of worship on display.
It’s about connecting the public and the private. If I can’t worship with intensity when I’m by myself I have no business leading the church with all-out passion from a large stage.
5 Tips For Practicing the Presence of God
Yes, this post is about practice. But practice of a different kind.
Practicing the presence of God is about turning all of your life experience into a prayer. Nothing you face in life is exempt from surrender to Jesus.
Every victory, every trial, every annoyance, every disagreement. Turn it around. Bring it into the presence of God.
Here’s how:
1. Begin Your Day With Intentionality – It’s been proven that your morning routine sets the tone for the rest of the day. Rather than being stressed and rushing around, begin your day with God. Start with a prayer, “God, this day is from you and for you. Use me to bring glory to Your name.”
It’s amazing how this perspective can set the tone for a God-centered day.
2. Turn Complaints Into Cries Of Praise – When you find yourself complaining, train yourself to praise instead. Rather than focusing on what’s wrong with your situation, find something you can be grateful for. Truth is, a thousand eternities wouldn’t be sufficient to express our gratefulness to God. His worth far surpasses our ability to praise Him.
Time is short. Stop complaining.
3. Turn Suffering Into Surrender – There’s nothing that rocks the boat more than a prolonged season of intense suffering. When I walked through my 15 months of physical illness, I wasted a lot of time being angry that could have been spent communicating with God. Eventually, I pressed into a deeper place of worship.
Suffering will always be a part of your life on earth. Draw closer to Jesus.
4. Turn the Mundane Into A Holy Moment – There are mindless moments to your day. Boring tasks at work. Routines you could perform with your eyes closed. Rather than just “getting it done,” invite God into your experience.
Use boredom as a catalyst for worship.
5. Lead Yourself In Worship – Don’t ever become such a worship superstar that you stop leading yourself. When you’re alone or with a group of friends, maintain a sensitivity to God that allows you to worship with abandon. Don’t ever hold back.
Practicing the presence of God can become a habit for you. It just takes some intentionality. And I’m sure your worship leading will never be the same again.
I need some feedback. I always learn from your comments.
Question: How do you practice the presence of God as a worship leader? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
This is sooooo good ! Great practical ideas. I love the Brother Lawrence book, I didn’t discover it until my mid-20’s. So cool you got it as a teen.
I like “Psalming”, simply spontaneously singing scripture. Here’s demo video http://www.robstill.com/how-to-practice-the-presence-of-god-with-psalming/
Thanks for the post, Rob. Singing the scriptures is an amazing discipline. I think a lot of people are intimidated by it, though, because they’re not sure how it’s going to come out 🙂
Great post, David! My “practicing” the presence of God came during a time of pain. I was forced to cry out to God, and ask his intervention. I came to a place where I simply told the Lord, I want his kingdom to become REAL to me; more than a place I read about in the scriptures. That’s when God started pouring HIS heart out to me. Over the course of a year, I have experienced his presence in powerful ways, even while doing mundane motherhood duties. One day, I found myself intensely craving the Lord’s presence, but I did not have “quiet time” to devote to soaking in his presence. So while I was getting my kids ready for school, my spirit cried out to God, “how can I be with you if I am busy with my kids?” That’s when I heard him say, “but I am raising your kids WITH you!” From that point on, my daily “practice” of the being in God’s presence is simply inviting him to join me in everything I do.
With that, I’ve come to realize that seeking God’s kingdom FIRST opens so many doors to “practicing” God’s presence. I’m reminded of when Jesus taught the disciples how to pray. He said to say, “your kingdom come.” It’s inviting God’s kingdom to invade our space so we can see, taste and know He is GOOD.
When our motives are focused on God’s kingdom being REAL to us, I believe we will know God’s heart much more than we ever dreamed because He’s more than willing to share his heart with us when we ask him. He’s such a wonderful Father!!!
“Inviting Him to join me in everything I do.” That is profound because a lifestyle of this will keep you from a lot of sin because who wants to invite God into sin? I love this, Melanie. Thanks for sharing.
Yep. What many of us have not realized is that God is not repelled by sin. God repels sin. Sin cannot exist in his presence. So, our desires should be ask for God’s presence to meet with us regularly. Praise to Jesus for his blood that makes it possible! 😀
That book by Brother Lawrence is a spiritual goldmine, amazing stuff!!
Agreed, man. Life changing book.
#5. “maintain a sensitivity to God”, and continue to develop a sensitivity. I’m trying to take time in my private worship to linger on a song, and listen to hear where God might want to take it from there. it’s a safe place to learn to be sensitive to the Spirit (just me and Him, where there’s no pressure to ‘not make an error’ during the Sunday service)
This is great. Reminds me of a Rick Warren tweet I read last week: “don’t focus on leading, focus on Jesus.”
yeah, that’s good — i like that! (Rick Warren’s tweet)
Great word… God bless!
Thank you David, this post helps a lot. I am a recovering drug addict and its so easy to get caught up in my own thoughts and wanting to do my will, that it makes it hard to surrender to God. With the practicing of His presence and being in tune with the sunlight of the spirit helps tremendously to let go and to let God. Knowing I am not alone in this struggle and He desires to be in communion with me just as much, if not more, as I desire to be in constant communion with Him. So thank you again for the tips! God bless you and yours!
Thanks for the comment, Kathryn! I know God will be faithful and sustain you through this time.
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It is more precious than any thing
this is owe some, untrained, I developed this habit of practising His pre sence, but now I will increase for increased sensitivity unto the Lord and and His Angels, by this practise I very seen angles surround my car, when I go to minister I experience more anointing than other times I spent in my closet, thanks for the post
Hi David,
It’s really an awesome article. I am so blessed. I will present your practice points to my Church if you would allow me to do so. I have created a weekly activity table using the points you have listed here. It’s such a blessing. God bless you so much.
The word of God will remain Forever, thanks for this Article, it was written years ago but I tell you it’s touched me today as I went through every comment. The Tips directing me how to practice the presence of God are Awesome,May God be with me as I embark on this journey of worshipping And praising Him, and casting every thing In His care Amen!
I, too, came across brother Lawrence in my youth. I am not a worship leader but lead prayer and Bible studies. I have been led to come on the internet for more information on this subject by reading Jeremiah 1 ” The word of the Lord came to me” and I feel I need more of this! So thanks for this and all the comments.
Point 3 re suffering. I have found that turning this into prayer of a vicarious kind on behalf of others worse off than myself has produced a relief of their pain.
What a great lesson for the Christians.oh if the individual members of the church would learn to practice the presence of God,we wouldn’t need longer days of fasting before we encounter the manifest presence of God and the meaningfulness if our Christian faith would turn the world down side up for the glory of God
Yes – Love it – As in Acts 2:25-28 !
PTL ~ Edward Church – GA
Thanks for being `so Right on !!
Jesus is our Life and Life is in Christ!!