MUSIC BLOG
May 12, 2022
Our Confidence in God
Confidence is something many people struggle with. Most of us have a few areas in our lives that we are confident. We love to spend our time exploring these areas. However, when we are called upon or expected to perform outside these few areas we struggle, we balk, we often choose not to participate.
I remember being in our school band. When band started (I was in fourth grade) I was the only French Horn. I don’t know why, but the French Horn has always carried a particular attraction. I love the sound and as a young child I loved the shape. It looked cool! My dad found a used instrument and bought me an excellent recording that demonstrated how a real horn player should sound. I struggled with my tone for years, I had a weak embouchure. I didn’t work on that until I took lessons in college. However, I had a great sense of pitch and pretty good fingerings. I was the best in our school band. My confidence in my school was very strong. However, when I went to band camp and festival where I had to compete with other Fr. Horn players, I realized I was not up to their level. My confidence waned in comparison. No matter what I did in rehearsal I just couldn't seem to catch up to their level. I remember being in the lowest level at band camp (I was in seventh grade but still . . .) It was a blow to my ego. I had fun and loved the challenge, but I realized there was a whole other level of French Horn playing that was beyond my present abilities.
Psalm 57:7
7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;
I will sing and make music.
I recently shared a choir devotion on confidence in God and quoted this scripture (albeit poorly and I gave the wrong chapter and verse : / ) the message I shared was something most choirs find relatable. There has been a push in recent years to not hold folders while leading in worship. However, most choirs stubbornly refuse to pry their hand off their music. (I had one choir member tell me that memorizing music was being a poor steward of the Lord’s money. The church purchased the music and expected to see the choir holding it. True story.) This great fear has been somewhat lessened by the implementation of the TV monitor or confidence monitor. This scripture really goes hand in hand with the use of the Confidence Monitor.
Our hearts are to be steadfast on the Lord. The Psalmist said it twice which in like putting an exclamation point after the statement. As a worship leader and choir member, we know what it’s like when the words on the monitor are correct and shown at the proper time. We feel confident to sing out, smile, and encourage the congregation to do the same. Like the Psalmist we can Sing and Make Music!! On the other hand, when those slides don’t move at the right time or when the words are wrong or there are typos we struggle to keep up and sometimes we just quit singing. Our confidence in God is very similar. Think of it this way, God gives us one screen at a time. When we get to the end of that screen, we trust Him for the next one. Our confidence in God is step by step. God often gives us a picture in our hearts of the end result, but he never gives us a step by step or a time frame. It is in walking faithfully step by step that we grow in faith and confidence in God. The sad truth is if we knew everything that we would have to go through to get the final result of God’s promise most of us would refuse to go forward. Not because the end result was bad but rather, because of the giants we will all face as we gain the victory or prize. However, when we walk day by day with God, trusting Him for the next step, we encounter the giants, and we gain His victory in the everyday things. Trusting God, day by day, step by step is His plan for spiritual growth. There is no other way, but the Trust and Obey!
Praying for you today in your daily journey with Jesus,
Blessings,
Marty
