I Double-Dog-Dare-You!
Why is it the moment our family begins to get ready for church my pathetic attitude rears its ugly head for all to see?
My daughter had a little friend spend the night last night. With spatula in hand, my robe on and wet hair hanging around my face like the mythological creature Medusa, she quietly comes up to me and announces she doesn’t want to go to church with us as planned.
Now, I am not one to force church attendance on anyone…but I was irritated. As adorable as this little girl is, I had only minutes left to get everyone fed, run this child home and head back to make myself presentable and get to church.
Like Cruella Deville I sped through our little town to take this child home. After ringing her doorbell until my index finger was numb, we discovered her parents weren’t home.
Can you feel my growing irritation?
Racing back home in our Suburban, thoughts danced in my head. My hair is going to look awful drying on its own. I bet the breakfast dishes are now stuck by syrup to my kitchen table. Why did I eat pancakes for breakfast today anyway? I feel like I have a brick in my stomach. Why didn’t Paul offer to take this child home?
Like the godly woman I am (interject sarcasm here), I fumed on the way to church. I thought for sure my fake smile screamed “Hypocrite!” as I walked into church minutes later.
Leaning over to one of my girlfriends, I smiled from ear to ear and spoke through clenched teeth, “I am not in a good mood today.”
…and then it happened.
Worship began.
Have you ever tried to stay in a bad mood while praising God? It’s impossible to do. My anger and irritation melted away.
Replacing my foul, ugly flesh was a heart that needed forgiveness for snapping at my husband and for all of the ways I was imagining I could torture my children for creating such a mess this morning.
When we praise Him, we take our eyes off ourselves and place them where they should have been all along…on Jesus.
So, when you feel yourself heading down the ugly road of selfish, prideful, self-absorbed you, crank up the worship music.
I double dog dare you.
Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; meditate on and talk of all His wondrous works and devoutly praise them! 1 Chronicles 16: 9
Awesome post.
Ha – that is so true, Joanne. When my day goes sour at work, I pop on my head-phones and start listening to worship music or listen to sermons — there is nothing better to turn your attitude around than taken the focus off of you 🙂
Amen… Amen… Amen…. Girl, you described my life. I “get” you. and thank you for such a great devotion. I am going to fire up the praise music right now. Hugs.
Yes, yes, and yes. I have been there, I felt that way, and I have been yanked out by praising Him! I so know what you’re talking about. It’s amazing how we can be turned around so quickly and made to take a look at our ugliness only to toss it down and lift our eyes up to our amazing merciful God – Praise Him! 🙂
Thank you for that post today!
Amen! It’s hard to worship God and stay in a bad mood.
Man, I wish I had read this this morning. I could have used a reminder to put on praise music and praise the Lord when things get rough. I had a rough day with my boys. Actually we have had a rough week. They have many tasks that we have been lax on and are cracking down and the boys do not like it. They have less time to play and more work we are requiring, which they should have been doing all along, but I have been lazy. Now, they are used to being lazy and sigh and roll eyes and complain and I had had enough today and finally broke down in tears. I could have used some worship today, but instead I tried to do it on my own and failed miserably. Oh well, here’s hoping for a better day for all of us tomorrow, and for me trying to remember to worship a little more.
Wonderful, wonderful devotional. It is amazing to me – the power of praise. In the times when I don’t know how to pray, I find praise opens the way.
What an awesome reminder! Thank you!