Perhaps. There are even many scriptures that warn us against the folly of relying on our own fickle emotions. At the same time, however, there are also scriptures that warn us against letting our hearts become calloused to the Lord.
But I still can't help but think that when Jesus said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind," that our feelings are a part of this all-encompassing commandment.
Worship's general definition is "the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration." We understand our worship as Jesus followers even more specifically to be a way of every day living, not just a moment through music. So when we offer our lives each morning to the transforming work of God, we choose to exist in a constant reverence and adoration of his greatness—both of which are described as feelings.
// We can express our worship to God in many ways, but if we love the Lord and are led by his Holy Spirit, our worship will always bring a delighted sense of admiring awe and a sincere humility on our part. // - A.W. TozerWhen it comes specifically to worshiping God through music, there can be argument after argument about whether or not music manipulates us to engage in worship and song with our emotions. To a certain extent, I would actually argue that, yes, this is true. Except instead of using the word manipulate, I would choose to say that music helps, or paves the way for us to respond to God through our feelings—feelings of joy and delight, awe, feelings of peace and compassion and thankfulness.
In my personal walk with Jesus, music is the most beautiful tool to help me relate to God, as well as to defend my heart from the enemy. Is it my only tool? No, but it is one that I lean on in many ways. I am astounded at the intricate way each note and chord and lyrical phrase can resonate so completely with my heart; it fills me with deep gratitude that this is one of the ways I can relate and say "thank you" to my savior. Then bring in the hundreds of voices from our church family in unison, and my gratitude explodes through the roof!
As we learn and know and realize the truth of God through his Word and through our times of community worship, whether or not we physically express it through emotion, we have every reason to allow this delighted sense of awe and wonder to wash over us. The King who already has eternal victory has made himself a resident and companion of our hearts. His redemptive character makes us a new creation each morning as we choose to receive his grace in our lives.
There will be times when our feelings seem to betray us, but they are not a representation of the steadfast, unfailing character of God. There will also be times where insecurity, worry, disappointment, and heartbreak will plague our feelings and even cause us to doubt how God relates to us.
But let me tell you, friends. You, and all the many ways that you feel and think and express yourself, are wonderfully made. And the one who made you longs for you to express your honest feelings back to him. David, a man after God's own heart, expressed just about every emotion under the sun to the Lord. He went through incredible seasons of emotional sickness and distress, but also seasons of victory and pure rejoicing. In all of these things, he wrote to his God how he was feeling and he paired those words with melodies.
I want to sing what David sang, laying the inspiring words on a bed of new melodies that grip our hearts and awaken our longing feelings to the Lord in a way that only the gift of music can.
Join me, won't you?
Jamie
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