I forgot the most important part of my practice time.

As I write this, I just finished a time of worship alone in my living room. I don’t often talk about those particular moments. Typically, I leave them between me and God, but right now I think it’s important. It started out just working through a song that I’ll be introducing in a service next week. I had listened to the song, watched the YouTube video, played through it once or twice, worked on a melody I was having trouble with, and was starting to feel pretty good about leading it. Then I realized something – I hadn’t done the most important part. I hadn’t worshiped with it. 

I felt a little convicted since last week’s blog post was encouraging leaders not to forget they’re worshipers too… oops. (you can read that HERE)

Don’t get me wrong – practice is important. It’s extremely important. I talk a lot about practice and rehearsal and knowing your instrument. You should absolutely practice. A lot. But don’t stop there. Practice will make you a good musician, but it won’t make you a good worship leader. It takes a worshiper to do that.  It takes someone who has been in the presence of God. It takes time in the “secret place.” 

The first line of Psalm 91 suggests there is a secret place for believers to go. A place of protection, comfort and care. A place where you’ll be satisfied. A place of honor. A place of salvation. We recognize that place as anywhere God is. 

Psalm 91:1-2 “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”

We’re not exactly sure who wrote Psalm 91 (Read the full psalm HERE!), but many have suggested Moses to be the author. I think that makes a lot of sense considering the life that Moses lived – He was the leader of God’s people. He parted the red sea. He carried the 10 commandments down from Mount Sinai. He saw the glory of God. 

Moses must have known of a secret place. He must have had a unique perspective on being near to God. In fact, when Moses was on Mount Sanai and was allowed to see the back of God, he did so from a kind of secret place: a cleft in a rock and covered by the hand of God (Exodus 33:22). 

Other places in scripture point to a “secret place” as well: In Psalm 27, David writes that he is “safe within His dwelling.” In Matthew 6:6 Jesus instructs his followers to “go into your room and close the door” when praying. Jesus modeled this in Mark 1:35 by going off to a “solitary place where he prayed.” 

It seems important to biblical leaders to get alone with God. It was after that day on the mountain that Moses began building the tabernacle. It was because of the dwelling place that David could write “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 27:13).” It was after praying that Jesus went to preach. We should spend time with the Lord before we lead. We should spend time in worship. We should spend time in prayer.

As a worship leader, I’m guilty of moments like the one I had today all too often. I’ll spend time working on the music more than I do worshiping. Or more time on planning center than I do in prayer.  But I’ve learned that being practiced up and being prayed up are two very different things. 

Being practiced up will help me know the song. Being prayed up will help me know the voice of God. Being practiced up will help me lead a song. Being prayed up will help me lead people. Being practiced up will make me a good musician. Being prayed up will make me a good worship leader.

Don’t neglect to spend time in the secret place. It’s much easier to lead people there if you know the way.