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Bible & Theology | Videos

How to Worship When You Don’t Feel Like Singing

by Lauren Chandler | February 12, 2019

Have you ever gotten to church and just not felt like worshiping? Maybe you felt far from God or that there was too much going on. Author and worship leader, Lauren Chandler can relate. Here’s how she corrects her heart to get in a better place to worship God, even when she might not feel like it.

The video is above and the entire transcript is below.


There’ve been times I’ve walked into church and maybe I walked in a little late and everyone’s got their arms raised and they’re worshiping and they’re singing their guts out, and I’ve just barely come in. Because I’ve felt far from God. I’ve felt that He isn’t near. I’ve kind of missed His presence. 

Some of it is because I’ve pulled away. Sometimes it was because I was like, I just kinda woke up and I realized, “Oh, I miss Him. Where has He been?”

I think I’ve struggled because I thought I’ve just got to put on a face and just sing the words. But I’ve discovered if I just take a minute to be honest with Him, to not immediately put my hands in the air and immediately start singing my guts out. But just coming before Him honestly with what I’ve got, saying,

“God, I feel far from You and some of it’s my fault. It’s my fault. Maybe all of it was my fault. But for whatever reason I feel far from You and I don’t want to feel far anymore. Would You help me?”

Just this honest prayer. Because He already knows what’s in my heart. But this honest prayer to just come before Him and worship Him in whatever state I’m in.

And then I tend to find that He kind of restarts my heart. He softens it to worship Him. And maybe I don’t sing my guts out. Maybe my arms aren’t completely in the air. But my heart is now in a posture to worship Him honestly and purely and freely before Him. 

Find more from Lauren Chandler at Lifeway.com
With Us in the Wilderness - Bible Study Book

With Us in the Wilderness

Join Lauren Chandler in this 7-session, in-depth study of the Book of Numbers and God’s people. Discover how even when they rebelled—and this book tells of many rebellions—God’s love and promises remained. It’s in that love and those promises the children of Israel found their identity and where we must find ours today.

FIND OUT MORE

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About Lauren Chandler

Lauren Chandler is a wife and mother of three. Her husband, Matt Chandler, serves as the lead teaching pastor at The Village Church in Dallas, Texas. The Lord has taken Matt and Lauren on a challenging journey—one beginning in 2009 with the discovery of a malignant tumor in Matt’s brain. The Lord has been infinitely merciful, providing peace and comfort in uncertainty and joy in times of victory and healing. Lauren and her family have been given a deeper trust in clinging to the Lord and His cross through this season of valleys and storms.

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