Sing Praise to God

QUESTION: I sing praise to God, but my heart isn't in it. What can I do?

ANSWER:

A desire to spontaneously sing praise to God springs from a deep abiding love for God. God has such a unfathomable love for us. In Ephesians 3:18-19, Paul prays that the church "may have power…to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

When you sense that your heart isn't involved in praising God, pray that He will help you to understand His love. It is very hard not to have an attitude of gratefulness once you understand the incredibly awesome gift of love that God gave us in the form of Jesus Christ poured out on Calvary. He showed that love by willingly spreading out His arms on the cross for you.

An attitude of worship or wholehearted desire to sing praise to God can be developed by deepening your level of intimacy with God. James 4:8 says, "Come near to God and He will come near to you..." Strengthening your fellowship with God is the same as building any other relationship. You need to spend time together, listening to one another, sharing thoughts, ideas, hopes, fears, likes, and dislikes.

In order to spend time with God, you need to read His Word and strive for understanding of the content and meditate on the meaning of the message.1 Samuel 3:21 says, "The LORD ...revealed himself to Samuel through his word." Your prayer time should include not only a time of talking, but also a time of listening. Psalm 25:14 says. "The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them."

As with any other relationship, it takes time and effort to develop intimacy with God. You need to examine yourself and make sure that you are indeed committed to the effort to know God more. Jesus told us to "count the cost" of following Him. In Philippians 3:10, Paul described his drive to know God in this way: "For my determined purpose is that I may know Him - that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly."

Seek after that deeper relationship with God. You will not be disappointed and will sing praise to God wholeheartedly.