The Mind To Worship | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

The question was recently asked in an online discussion, "Why is it when we lead worship that some people can't get into it?"  My response was as follows:

"Of the many people who come to church, a good portion are not present.  Their bodies are physically in the sanctuary, but they're mentally elsewhere.  It is our thoughts that keep us from our Sabbath (i.e. our peace) as well as experiencing GOD's manifested presence through worship.  When the mind is cluttered with thoughts that aren't good, just, honest, pure, lovely and of good report, then how can one get into the corporate worship?  We always say that they who worship the Father must worship Him in spirit and in truth.  The mind is where truth is acknowledged, and it's also where the Bible says we must be renewed in order to be transformed.  Therefore, a mind unprepared for worship is what hinders most people from really participating in the corporate setting as they should.  Having the mind to worship in spite of all that's going on makes a HUGE difference in how we experience GOD's presence."

As a worship leader, I don't believe in hyping up the saints or being some kind of charismatic cheerleader.  Once upon a time, I felt like it was some fault of my own when the people didn't get into the worship; so I can understand how it feels when the people aren't engaged in worship.  Often times I would see other worship leaders go through all manner of changes in order to get "a certain reaction" from the people; but it would never seem authentic to me, even if they got the desired response.  It took the Holy Spirit teaching and maturing me to see that it's not my responsibility to usher the people into the presence of GOD.  My responsibility as a worship leader is to usher the presence of GOD into the room where the people are so they can choose to engage in communion with the Father for themselves.  GOD desires the worship of those who choose to freely give it, not the worship of those who had to be poked and prodded to enter in.

Having a mind to worship is something to be addressed in one's own private prayer time.  Whatever thoughts are keeping us from worshiping GOD must be cast down BEFORE we enter a public worship setting.  This is another reason why prayer is so important: the Holy Spirit can expose those thoughts that are not beneficial to us in private and, in turn, prepare our minds for worship so we can get the most out of every public gathering.  But it all starts with a choice.  We can either choose to worry...or choose to worship.  Since worship releases solutions in the form of a Rhema Word, the better choice is to not worry.