Have you ever been so nervous that your head shook? We’ve all had times when we were so nervous our palms got sweaty and our hands shook; or for some, our knees actually knocked. Yes, I’ve been in those situations.
Once, when I was about 14 years old and had just become involved in the music ministry in my church. I was approached by a trio of gifted musicians in the church asking me to play keyboard and accompany them when they sang. I was honored and eagerly said yes. We were scheduled to do the special music in church the following Sunday. I was given some music and we rehearsed during the week to prepare the song.
The following Sunday I got to church early to meet with them before the service. When they came in to rehearsal I was handed a different song, not the one we had rehearsed. And I was told that we’d be doing that song instead. It was one that they knew so I just needed to sight read the song and follow them. Are you kidding me? I had practiced the other song all week and was comfortable with it. I had never seen this new song before. My palms got sweaty and my hands began to shake.
By the time the service started, I was feeling nauseous and I had blurred vision. When the time came for our song, my knees began to knock. Have you ever played the piano when your knees are literally knocking together? Not cool. When I began the introduction to the song my head was actually shaking. Again, not cool. Let me say that it is hard to sight-read music when your head is shaking. Somehow by God’s grace I got through the song and the congregation applauded and there were even a few “amens.” This trio obeyed and followed the leading of the Lord. God had used it to encourage others in the Lord and the song fit perfectly with the Scripture that the pastor spoke that day.
If you’re a veteran church musician you can probably share a similar story. If you’re brand new at this, you’ll have a story like this soon. There’s nothing more exciting than using your musical talents to serve the Lord and following His leading in each service. And the cool thing is when we give our talents to Him, He will give us opportunities to use those talents and exercise those muscles. As we’re faithful with each opportunity He will provide more and more opportunities. Sure your nerves may get the best of you at first but each time will be a little easier as you see God use your talents for His honor and glory.
2 Corinthians 3 says that our confidence and our competence comes from God, not ourselves. He is our competence and He makes us competent as ministers as we follow His leading. When you stand to minister to others through music remember that it’s God working through you to minister to others, even if you have sweaty palms and a shaking head.
Make the most of your journey!
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Many years ago, as I was traveling around the Pacific Northwest ministering in churches, I was invited to be part of a church worship service. I was scheduled to sing about 15 minutes of music that I had selected to sing with my own accompaninment trax I brought with me. About 2 minutes before the service started, the choir director came over to my wife and me and said the choir was going to sing a familier hymn to start the service. He asked if I would sing the verses as a solo and that they would join me on the chorus. (I’ve now forgotten what the hymn was – but I was familier with it – though I didn’t have every verse memorized). He handed me several loose pages of the song so I could follow along. My wife asked if she could take a look at them, so I handed them to her. As the choir stood up and the instruments began the intro, my wife quickly started to hand the pages back to me. I began to stand, and at the same time reached back for the music. In my haste to step over to the pulpit, I mis-handled them and they fell to the floor in a jumbled heap… and, all out of order! I scooped them up and stepped up to the pulpit. I started to sing (being familier with the first verse). The choir began to hum while I sang. Everything sounded really good. But, I hadn’t noticed that the pages were out of sequence until it was time to sing the 2nd verse. You talk about sweaty palms and knocking knees! I fumbled throught the pages frantically looking for the verse – I started making up words to the song on the spot. I heard the choir director in a fairly loud whisper say to the choir, “just keep humming!” By then, we had reached the chorus and I was able to find the 3rd and final verse and we finished the song. As I went back to my seat, I glanced over at the choir and they had big grins coming back at me. They actually let me come back and sing my own songs later in the service and things went much better… Whew!
Whew is right!!! Tom that is quite a story. It made me laugh because I can relate to what you must have been feeling. Sometimes we have to just laugh at ourselves don’t we? Thanks so much for sharing this story!