I love to sing. I can’t remember not singing. People who know me well will agree that I love to sing simply because they are subjected to my singing any time there is music playing to sing to, as well as any time I’m leaving a space where I was alone and could get away with singing. Unfortunately, given my passion, I have  a voice that is pretty, but not stellar, and an ear that is good, but not great. Thus, my opportunities for singing in public have been less frequent than I might have liked, but they have existed.

Those occasional opportunities to sing into a microphone include some of the greatest highs I’ve ever experienced. There’s nothing else quite like standing on a church platform singing a song I’ve selected and watching that song impact members of the congregation. I find standing on a church platform helping to lead worship by singing equally exhilarating when I really am at that point where I’m just worshipping though still aware that the congregation is worshipping with those of us on stage.

However, I haven’t experienced those highs as consistently as one might think, given my love for song. That has a lot to do with the conversation God and I used to have to have  every time I was about to walk onto that church platform. It goes something like this:

Me: Lord, I’m so excited to be headed on stage to sing for you. Please be with me and help me do a good job.

God: If this is singing for me, why are your hands shaking? (Aside: my hands shake when I’m nervous, especially about performing music. This is not too bad for singing, but it led to some very painful piano recitals.)

Me: Because I love being on stage, but I’m terrified I’ll hit a wrong note or something.

God: And that’s about who?

Me: Me. But do I want this to be about you. Please, help me make it about you.

The good news is that God does honor such requests when made sincerely, which these were, and in more recent years, we didn’t have to have that conversation every time I went on stage. The bad news is that a lesson learned in one area is not always learned in every area. Recently the conversation went more like this:

Me: Nobody’s reading my stuff.

God: (silence with a hint of raised eyebrow)

Me: Okay. Not many people are reading my stuff.

God: Whose idea was this blog?

Me: Yours, definitely yours.

God: And where do the ideas come from?

Me: You?

God: So?

Me: Your stuff that they’re not reading?

God: And if one person reads a post and is touched by it, was it worth your time to write?

Me: (very small) yes

God: (silence)

Me: Not my blog; not my concern how many people read it.

God: Exactly.

I’m sorry to say that we have had that conversation more than once, but I am learning.

Do you have something you need to make sure is all about him and not about you? We are told: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” Colossians 3:17 (ESV).  To do something in the name of the Lord means much more than to call his name. It means to do it according to his character, the way he would do it. It really means that every single thing in our lives should be about God, not about us. I’m not there yet, but I’m committed to keep moving in the right direction. Join me?