Myths about Leading: My Heart Is Not Right
It’s a Sunday morning, 10 minutes before the first corporate worship service, and I’m an anxious, or perhaps prideful, or maybe even totally apathetic worship leader. What do I do? I don’t have the choice to just label myself “not currently qualified” and go home. I’m going to have to get up there and at least not be distracting for those who have come. So what’s the plan?
Before I go into what I think God calls me to in that moment, I want to attack a couple of the mindsets I just mentioned. For instance, It’s very easy to think “I’m not qualified to lead today, because my heart’s not right.” Really? So, if my heart WAS right, I would be more qualified? And what exactly does having a “right” heart mean? Does it mean I feel good about myself and my walk with the Lord? Does it mean that I’m not thinking anything sinful at the moment and so that makes me okay to get up there and lead? Well, let’s shoot that down right now by pointing out the fact that thinking I’m qualified to lead because I feel a little more spiritual than usual is quite prideful!
When I’m honest with myself, I know that I could never be spiritually qualified to lead a group of believers in singing songs without God’s merciful redemption of my soul. And in that moment when I am not feeling like I’m good enough to stand up there and do my job, God calls me to do the same thing I would have to do if I felt GREAT about myself before a worship service: REPENT. The humility of heart that comes with turning away from my own ideas of spiritual preparedness and turning to God is the one thing that can qualify me for leading His people. Knowing that I am not worthy of the task with which I am entrusted – that rather I must lead in obedience to Christ and can lead because He has graciously cleansed me from all sin – is the “broken and contrite heart” that King David says God will not despise.
Now, every leader should be honest with those who oversee them about any mastering, habitual sins in their life. Such sins may disqualify someone for leadership for a time as the church leaders surround them with accountability, support and prayer to work through them. And prayerfully, that leader would soon be restored to leadership with greater faith, humility, and power to lead.
But the next time you are having a hard time wanting to lead because you “don’t feel right with God,” ask yourself whose guidelines you’re following in order to be ready to lead – yours or God’s?
“For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
- Psalm 51:16-17
3 Comments August 17, 2010