From Worry Wart to Worship Warrior
People that know me now would find it hard to believe that I used to have the nickname, “Worry Wart.” My fourth-grade teacher was the first person to speak it out loud that I worried about everything. I distinctly remember her saying, “Stop being such a worry-wart. You are doing great.” I was only 10 years old. I didn’t shake off this title until I was in my mid-twenties. However, I am hoping that if you find yourself in a state of almost constant anxiousness I have a solution. It’s trading in your old worrywart title for worship warrior.
I joined a church in my early twenties that had a bold style of worship. People in the congregation raised their hands, fell to their knees, and jumped joyfully in praise. This was a far cry from the Catholic mass I was used to from my childhood. It would have been easy for me to judge them. After all, they didn’t really look like they were at church. However, I noticed they were full of life, even through their tears they looked free. I wanted that. It was here that I began to lift my arms higher and higher each week in adoration of a God. A God I was just beginning to know.
Fast forward a few years and a few moves we landed in the UK. I’ve always loved to sing. I’m not the world’s most talented singer but I can carry a tune and it landed me a spot on our church’s worship team. This was the pivotal game-changer for me fully becoming a worship warrior. At first, I was so nervous at how I would sound. Worrywart was in full effect! My worship leader could tell I was nervous and struggling. However, he was patient and kind in how he helped me understand it was less about the notes and more about having the posture of worship.
He was talking about what I had seen in my early days as a Christian. People who cared more about worshiping God than what others thought. It took tiny steps of faith to silence the worry and release the warrior. What were those steps?
I prayed for boldness - because I had spent so many years working to be perfect in so many areas I needed God’s help to freely worship Him
I focused on WHO I was worshiping - when you are thinking of Jesus, the King of Kings, you begin to care very little about what anyone else might think
I was vulnerable before God in private - these moments of intimate worship between me and God built something new in those “just us” moments. I was truly free to sing, dance, cry, kneel, jump, and laugh. Those private worship moments created the faith to share similar postures when I was singing in public.
I began to worship when I felt worried - this was the most dramatic thing I noticed because when I cranked my music and began to worship, fear, anxiety, and doubt would diminish. Worship brought peace.
“Worry and worship cannot co-exist” - Blake Robinson principle Hillsong College
I love how the principle of Hillsong College USA puts it that our worry and worship cannot exist together. I don’t sing on the worship team anymore, but I worship like I am. I still struggle with worry however, I know the antidote is just a heartfelt song away.
