Question:
Hey,
If I'm posting too many threads let me know.
For about 15 years now I get a really upset stomach before playing. Almost uncontrolably I run the songlist over and over in my head and then I get sick. What really troubles me is that I know everything will work out. God has anointed us to do his work so why should I worry?
I don't actually worry about it, for example I don't think in my head "Oh man I'm going to fail". Mainly cause I know it's not about me. I know I have confidence issues that run deep.
I've had pretty bad experiences like getting pretty much kicked off the stage by the resident worship leader while I was doing a youth runned worhsip service at a very large church. THAT HURT. I've had my old youth leader say I can't sing and I have no place doing worship. That hurt too.
Yet I've had some amazing experiences, IMHO I beleive I do a pretty good worship set. Creative fun energetic honest and intimate. So why do I get so nervous!!!!
I've been painfully honest here. If there's anyone else who's struggled with it Let me know. More importantly what have you done to fix it.
I pray, read, spend time with the wife and play with the kids, practice, and pray some more. This will undoubtably sound bad but it seems praying makes it worse.
For the Glory of God Let's nip this thing in the Butt (literally)
Joe
Answer:
You've got only 1 person to please, Joe, and He is very pleased with you as His child and servant.
I've played in front of thousands of people and with some huge names in music but I STILL get nervous, usually because I feel I'm not prepared or that the team is not prepared or that I'm out of my element.
But God does not give us a spirit of fear and He also doesn't lead us into places and situations and leave us alone.
It sounds strange but just rest in your weakness. It's ok...you'll never be prepared enough or bold enough or strong enough on your own. If you think you are then you've eliminated God from the equation.
Worship Him. Don't do a set, don't put on a show, don't try to impress the jaded masses with their arms crossed. Just worship.
On a psychological level, if you feel you've got some self-confidence issues, it's worth seeking some guidance and counsel from an elder or trained-pro to help you battle that stuff.
It can be deep and painful stuff. God can and will deal with it but He may also have someone out there willing to help you walk through it.
Chances are if you've got self-confidence issues regarding playing, you may have them elsewhere. I'm not trying to dish out psycho-babble but just sharing with you some of what I've learned about myself and issues that are common with many folks.
Bottom line: Lean on Him, rest in Him and draw your very strength from Him because He IS your strength, your peace and your foundation.
And He's very pleased with you.
Answer:
Originally Posted by gtrdave You've got only 1 person to please, Joe, and He is very pleased with you as His child and servant.
I've played in front of thousands of people and with some huge names in music but I STILL get nervous, usually because I feel I'm not prepared or that the team is not prepared or that I'm out of my element.
But God does not give us a spirit of fear and He also doesn't lead us into places and situations and leave us alone.
It sounds strange but just rest in your weakness. It's ok...you'll never be prepared enough or bold enough or strong enough on your own. If you think you are then you've eliminated God from the equation.
Worship Him. Don't do a set, don't put on a show, don't try to impress the jaded masses with their arms crossed. Just worship.
On a psychological level, if you feel you've got some self-confidence issues, it's worth seeking some guidance and counsel from an elder or trained-pro to help you battle that stuff.
It can be deep and painful stuff. God can and will deal with it but He may also have someone out there willing to help you walk through it.
Chances are if you've got self-confidence issues regarding playing, you may have them elsewhere. I'm not trying to dish out psycho-babble but just sharing with you some of what I've learned about myself and issues that are common with many folks.
Bottom line: Lean on Him, rest in Him and draw your very strength from Him because He IS your strength, your peace and your foundation.
And He's very pleased with you.
That is some really good advice. I don't think there's much else to say.
Answer:
Dave,
Reading your comments I felt a rest come over me and my Spirit quickly settled.
Thank you Jesus for sending your servant, bless him mightily in the work you have prepared for him.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Jumpinjoegraham If I'm posting too many threads let me know.
There's no such thing, unless you're a troll.
I've had pretty bad experiences like getting pretty much kicked off the stage by the resident worship leader while I was doing a youth runned worhsip service at a very large church. THAT HURT. I've had my old youth leader say I can't sing and I have no place doing worship. That hurt too.
Yet I've had some amazing experiences, IMHO I beleive I do a pretty good worship set. Creative fun energetic honest and intimate. So why do I get so nervous!!!!
All of these experiences (including you "doing a pretty good worship set") seem to be very unhelpful in your quest to ease your mind and spirit before leading worship. The reason why various other church leaders have kicked you off the stage and told you that you had no place leading worship because you "couldn't sing" is because they were focusing too much, it seems, on you and not enough of God. If that is a problem (and I think we can all agree that it is), then I think it is also a problem in your second paragraph here, where you talk about your skills as a worship leader and how "good" your "worship set" is and so on. You yourself are focusing too much on you and not enough on God. This is just as bad, if not worse, than what the other church leaders you mentioned were doing... because you're doing it to yourself, which means you're (in a sense) setting yourself above God.
Worship is ultimately not about you or your congregation, or about pleasing either... it is about God and pleasing Him.
I think the best advice would be the old "get yourself out of your own way" idea. Don't let yourself get bogged down in the nitty-gritty details of what you have to do and what you want to do and so on and so on. Just practice and prepare well beforehand, and then go...
For the Glory of God Let's nip this thing in the Butt (literally)
That's "in the bud," actually.
In His love,
Nate
Answer:
Originally Posted by Jumpinjoegraham I pray, read, spend time with the wife and play with the kids, practice, and pray some more. This will undoubtably sound bad but it seems praying makes it worse.
It doesn't sound "bad", it sounds honest.
Maybe God has a reason for you being nervous. Maybe this is a case where He's glorified in spite of our weakness.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Nate That's "in the bud," actually.
I was nipped in the butt by a goat once. Tore a hole out of my jeans.
Answer:
i dunno if i'm actually qualified to write my opinions.. mainly because i've been away from this board for such a long time.. but anyways
in my experiences.. i'm usually always sick or incredibly nervous before playing. i used to .. and i guess i still do.. seriously hate when it happened. but you know, i'm realizing that maybe... just maybe, this is God's way of reminding me to surrender myself to Him. reminding me who worship is about.. reminding me who is "here today and gone tomorrow".. who is in charge.. and ultimately, who will bless the people. being sick renders me basically useless in man's eyes [more like, my own ears.. i hate hearing my voice.] but somehow ABLE in God's hands.. and being worried [although i definitely agree that it should NOT be to a certain degree] makes me fall down in surrender because it is HE that will make all things happen.
i dunno, this is all brutal honesty coming from me [what a change]. i hope God answers in your life like He has graciously done in my life.
Answer:
I want to thank everyone for there input it was very helpful today, even though nate's comments were brutally honest. I appreciate them all and took them to heart.
We had a very powerfull service today and as nate says "it has nothing to do with us". I did walk into it with the rest that I talked about on an earlier post. Slightly nervous but not like I was sick or anything.
While both me and the other singer came in on very bad notes I just thought how little it has to do with us and just worship. No one noticed except us and that's usually how it goes.
Nate - I've read your Bio you're a more learned man than I'll ever be. I appreciate your comment. Please understand my heart is to do nothing more than to worhsip God in purity and without the traces of man. It's just easier said than done.
Glorify the Lord
Answer:
Hey, you're not alone. I get an upset stomach before every practice.
It's usually because I'm running around, copying stuff, setting up my gear, making sure musicians have what they need...
As long as I drop the anxiety before I go into practice, I'm good.
Answer:
Originally Posted by psalm63adam I was nipped in the butt by a goat once. Tore a hole out of my jeans.
this made me laugh
Answer:
How often do you lead worship and how long have you been leading worship in this particular church?
Answer:
How often do you lead worship and how long have you been leading worship in this particular church?
I lead worship twice a week and I've been doing it on my own for about 4 years.