5 Ways to Find Contentment in Worship During Difficult times

When our mind is reeling from denial and sorrow, we find it difficult to focus our minds on anything. Contentment seems far away. How can we concentrate on worship? We have to go back to what we know, where we find our strength.

Psalms 59:16 “ But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love, for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.” NIV

We can come to God in our weak moments and depend on Him to lift us up. The words in this verse can bring us into His loving comfort. Athough the message is from God, we are also seeing the testimony of the Psalmist and the reality of his encouragement and support.

There is more than one form of worship. Throughout the Bible we see examples of people engaged in honoring God. Listed below are 5 ways to find contentment in praising God.

Music

Psalms 71:23

This is a Psalms of lament by David. In earlier verses he is asking God for deliverance from his suffering. In this particular verse, he is praising God for his help and it has created joy in his heart. We too can be delivered from our sorrow by depending on God. Singing praises can minister peace and hope to our lives.

Often when we think of singing, church comes to mind. Praising together is wonderful. To join together creates an atmosphere of love and joy for our Creator and in turn delights His heart. There is also singing alone. Christian radio and CD’s are another source of music we can enjoy. There are so many beautiful songs of worship to sing along with. It was important to Kristy {My daughter} and myself when Anna was in the hospital before she passed away. Many of songs mirrored our thoughts and feelings at the time and still do. Music can be a great source of contentment.

Prayer

1 Chronicles 16:11-12 “Look to the Lord and His strength: seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced.” NIV

Our heart is hurting and everything seems wrong. Sometimes its even hard to pray. Our faith may be faltering. That can make us afraid that God doesn’t want us. Not true. God is always there regardless of our feelings, just a breath away. Communion with our father brings exhausted hearts—-rest. Words may not come at first. Simply begin with “Lord, I am in pain. I need You.”

We may not have established a regular routine of prayer. Try finding a time of day when to be alone, or find a quiet place away from everyone. Some people have created what is referred to as a prayer closet. Just a space that we can go to God and empty our heart.

A prayer journal is a great way to create a time for you and God. We can make a list of things that bother us and bring these to Him. Recording when the Lord has provided answers , when we have seen His hand in our life, and praising Him for who He is, are situations we can enter into our journal. Prayer requests for others can be added.

Reading God’s Word

Psalms 119:114 “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your Word.” NIV

Chapter 119 in Psalms is about the beauty of God’s Word and how powerful it is. There are answers to everything we need. The Psalmist recognizes that it is a source of hope to all that read it. Hope encourages us and transform us from drudgery and loss. That’s what we are looking for.

Along with the development of our prayer life comes the desire to learn more about God by reading His Word. We don’t have to begin by reading everything at first. Taking one passage, meditate on it, see what it is about, what is He saying? As a Christian we have the Holy Spirit to help us understand.

We also can find a reading plan to help direct us. Reading through the entire Bible gives a view of the scriptures as a whole. There is a common thread throughout that binds them together and that thread is Jesus Christ.

There are many verses and passages about grief and loss for us to read. Most Bibles have a topical reference in the back and verses are easy to find. A topical study is a good way to begin reading God’s Word and find peace in times of difficulty.

Helping Others Find Contentment

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."  NIV

What a blessing it is when we have friends who have shared their thoughts and feelings in similar situations. Now is our time. This can give us a new sense of purpose in our lives. Communicating God’s love to others gratifies our hearts and contributes to our peace. It can also benefit us by helping to lower blood pressure and relieving anxiety.

Worshiping at Church

Hebrews 10:25 "not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."  NIV

Going to church can be difficult for some people during times of loss and this is left up to each person and the Lord. When we are able to go, we can receive many blessings.

As mentioned before, corporate singing and praise is very heart lifting and can refresh our souls. Listening closely to the lyrics can put us in tune with our Savior and what He has done for us.

God’s Word being read or reading it together, can bring points in the scripture that we’ve not noticed before. The beauty of the Bible can be enhanced as many turn their focus to Him.

As the pastor gives the sermon, very often what he is talking about fits exactly what we need at that moment. The Holy Spirit is working to enlighten us to what God is saying to us. These words can bring not only light but peace and contentment to our heart.

Worship is not always thought of in reference to loss but its always a road to contentment in any season of life. Hopefully these suggestions will be easy to put into place in our lives and help ease the rocky areas.

If you are finding life hard to manage, why not try one of these to help ease your heart. If you have questions or suggestions for topics, please comment below.