I’m feeling disturbed today.
I guess you could say I’m a little upset at what I just read.
Have you ever read something in Scripture that makes you scratch your head?
Check this out:
“He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert. So he saved them from the hand of the foe and redeemed them from the power of the enemy. And waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left. Then they believed his words; they sang praise. But they soon forgot his works…” (Psalm 106:9-13)
OK, so you’re telling me the Israelites saw the Red Sea part, walked across, turned around, watched the waters cover their enemies, their enemies all died, and then they forgot about it.
Seriously?
The Tendency To Forget God
I don’t know about you, but if I saw a massive body of water part, I wouldn’t forget about it. Except for the simple fact that I probably would.
I am Israel. I am doubtful, fickle, and forgetful.
I’m a schizophrenic worshiper – alive and well when life conforms to my box; upset and disillusioned when stuff happens.
I forget what God has done.
Do you see yourself in Israel’s doubt?
- Moses took too long…they worshiped a golden calf.
- They forgot the miracles in Egypt…they forgot God’s saving power.
- They reached the promised land…and despised it. No faith.
- They worshiped Baal…ignoring God.
I’m just as fickle with my worship. I forget where God has brought me. I have a tendency to “advance” from needing God to relying on my own strength and vision.
One moment I’m worshiping with passion…the next, I’m complaining, doubting, angry.
3 Tips To Help You Worship Consistently
How do we not fall into this same trap as Israel did? While there’s no easy answer, there’s a few things I’m doing:
1. Set up daily reminders
There will be trials you face in the future that may threaten the very foundations of your faith. You need to remind yourself that God is good; that He is for you and not against you. Post promises on your wall, in your car, whatever you need to do to be reminded of His faithfulness.
2. Protect your personal worship time
Did you spend time with Jesus today? Don’t condemn yourself if you didn’t, but get back to it. The more you resist, the easier it becomes to resist, and the more self-sufficient your life becomes. You forget God. Protect that daily time at His feet.
3. Wait on God
Psalm 106 says Israel “did not wait for his (God’s) counsel.” Don’t pretend to know more than God does. If you’re in a season of delayed answers, be active in your worship as you wait on His voice.
Remind yourself to remember. This is one of the greatest tactics of the enemy – to cause you to forget what God has done. He loves to make you doubt God’s faithfulness, goodness, and purpose for your life.
Question: Do you find yourself worshiping God one moment and doubting Him the next? How do you overcome this? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
I’ve seen this so many times in my life and those around me. Probably the best advice I’ve ever been given was when I received the calling to ministry. @herbhalstead said, “Remember the minute you were called and cling to it.”
He’s right there have been times when I’ve been really frustrated and have wanted to quit. But I remembered.
I think the same is true with worship. We need to remember the times that God came through and provided for us. Because when we remember we can do nothing else but worship and praise.
Well said, Michael. I often think back to the moment I was “called”. Can’t forget it and it inspires me to keep going today.
1. read God’s word
2. Read God’s Word
3. READ GOD’S WORD…
A MUST.
His Promises should be ingraved in our hearts and minds…
like a bad song stuck in our head…
Thanks David! Great Tips!
But what do you do when you don’t feel like reading God’s Word, Arny? Like, you’d rather just complain and wallow in your misery than read the Bible. Ever feel like that?
“Seriously?” – Absolutely!
Some never start, some quit and hopefully remember, others don’t – they just fade away!
I once made a very harsh statement in our church, I said: “we humans are pathetic!” I was not very popular!
When we don’t feel like it, we will not go to church! We find excuses for about anything usually because our hearts are not right; when we go we feel that we are getting nothing out of it!
I’ve seen people healed, delivered, filled up, etc, etc, but one week later they just stand there looking as if nothing ever happened.
Our human brains just don’t seem to function correctly, we need to remind ourselves to ask the question “Hey, what’s wrong with you?”
The problem is not only with worship – it is with a lot of things. Some time ago I would think nothing of it to pray for someone if he/she had a headache or sickness, and they received their healing – I can still remember the amazement on their faces, then just after that I started getting the worst headaches myself – and I forgot! I did not get up right away to go to my room and speak to the Great Physician! I suffered for weeks, taking pain killers, even went to see a neurologist! ‘Nothing wrong,’ he said. Shame!
I had to come back to God before I realized that there must be some action from my part, I had to put my faith back into the One I trusted for healing others!
Oh, we miserable, pathetic species!
BUT Praise God for reminding us for who HE is, We may be unfaithful, he is always faithful! We may deny Him, He can never deny Himself.
Now, unto the King Eternal, Immortal, the only Wise God, be glory and honor, power and praise forever more!
Your comment reminds me of the great hymn: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it. Seal it for Thy courts above.”
Let it be!
Ooooooo! Good post! The “wait on God” part is the toughest. We often like to take matters in our own hands when we feel that God is taking too long to fulfill his promises. A friend calls that “birthing an Ishmael.” 🙂 There are some of us who are still dealing with the consequences of acting on our own outside of God’s timing. We keep forgetting that God will not cross our will. Obedience always overrides sacrifice.
One thing we’ve got to remember (and Moses spoke this LOTS of times to the Israelites), “Fear the Lord” and “love the Lord.” Even Moses tried to get through to the Israelites that loving the Lord IS the greatest commandment. As we turn to the Lord constantly throughout the day, our “personal worship time” becomes the lifestyle we live as opposed to a set time to “worship God.” Since we ARE the temple of God, we carry his sanctuary with us wherever we go. It’s giving God that time to draw us “beyond the veil” in our own spirits that makes all the difference. It’s certainly a work in progress for most of us.
Good thought-provoking post, David!
Thanks, Melanie! Appreciate your insightful comment. I didn’t dig into this in depth, but there’s a mystery surrounding “waiting on God”. What do you think that really means?
Funny you should ask. I’ve did a word study on “wait” and the Lord currently has me in a waiting season. 🙂
Biblically speaking, Isaiah 40:31 is the most common verse people reference when it comes to waiting (as far as I can tell). Some versions say hope while others say wait. In the NKJ, “But those who WAIT on the LORD Shall renew their strength.” Because I wanted clarity on this word since different bible translations translate differently, I looked up the Hebrew word used for WAIT. It is qawa, which is often translated into hope, waiting expectantly, waiting while desiring, etc. The Ancient Hebrew interpretation is what got me. Using the Ancient Hebrew letters of this word, it says, “time secures breath.” How many times have we heard the phrase, “catch my breath”? It’s sort of the same idea. Waiting/hoping in the Lord is that holding back from stuff so the Lord can refresh us and renew us. This word is also used to describe a dam holding back water until being full to overflowing. You get the image here??
Waiting on the Lord not only requires time, it requires a constant filling. We use that waiting period as a time for God to refresh us, fill us up with his Spirit, and minister to us in his way. It’s a GREAT place to be since his presence is oh so sweet!
On a personal note, the Lord has me in a waiting period before going into full blown ministry. He’s teaching me to rely more on him than relying on procedures, concepts, strategies, etc. During this time, he’s given me the gift of healing (in seedling form right now); he’s given me dreams that relate to his church and my interactions with people; he’s healed people in my presence; he’s filling me with his love so I can love others despite their backgrounds or current rebellions; etc. The list goes on. If I kept myself busy, I would not have seen these things the Lord wants to show me.
Of course, there is A LOT more to this topic of rest. Should we apply the Sabbath the way it’s described in the Bible? What does honoring the Sabbath truly mean? What does it mean to enter the Lord’s rest? The questions are endless, but the Lord is so willing to answer them. He’s taught me a ton already.
Awesome!
I totally understand your sentiment but I discovered last night during study that I do the exact same thing when talking about forgetting God’s abilities and works.
I easily forget how effortlessly and quickly God filled the hole in my life that I had created with sin. The depths of his grace were incredibly unfathomable and when he healed me I was in awe.
He doesn’t have to part a sea to show his wonders. He can simply forgive me for all the wrong things I’ve done. I know all of them and I know the mountain of sin I created. And he wiped it away as if it were nothing.
I’m with you, John. Thanks for sharing. Why is it so easy to forget where God has brought us?
distractions! giving in to temptations! Easy – much easier than total surrender to God – the No Excuse Excuse: Human nature!
Loved this post, David. I actually got to preach this past Sunday (woot) and had this in my sermon about how being in spiritual captivity affects our worship.
I mean, on top of all God did for the Israelites, how the heck did they prefer captivity over being free?
Anyways, it was refreshing to think back on my life in recent years on what God has done. I think something I’m going to try to do is thank God for these miracles regularly – just include it in my regular prayer life. Sometimes we turn prayer into a “God, do this for me” instead of a “God, thank you for what you’ve done” so hopefully that will help.
Good word, bro. How did the preaching go? That is awesome.
It went well and it was well-received. I prefer singing over preaching in front of people, but it was a cool opportunity.
My feelings relate with you David on Psalm 106.
There’s a song that goes like this”
The world will see and soon forget and I will not forget what You have done for us”
Everytime I sung that, a bit of anger would come up about those who forgets and little did I know soon I would be part of those who forgot.But it is exactly what you said. You have to keep reminding yourself of the Goodness of God because at the same time the enemy keeps reminding us of all our forgiven wrong doings.
That’s a great song, Khamille. Every day is a battle to remember!