Professional Praise

Placing my guitar back on the stand, I feel the energy of the night begin to leave. As I search for God’s Spirit, my heart which previously pounded as in the rhythm of the music begins to slowly turn to a dull normal beating in my chest. I glance over at my worn out bible as the binding shines from the packing tape that holds it together firmly. I remember the moment I moved past the roll of a minister and drifted into the play part of an entertainer. My spirit is saddened as I remember my professional praise. A prayer is uttered from my lips in-between the handshakes and hugs. The thoughts scream in my mind, “I love being a true minister, I despise sinking to the level of mere entertainment. I don’t want to play the guitar for the people, but unto the Lord. Praise must come from my heart and life directly to God alone. When the lights are all off and the stage is cleared my heart is left with only a brag of self and a Spiritless testimony when I yield to this sort of self working. I want to bring more than a song… I want to bring worship. I want to offer more than my talents… I want to offer my life. I am tired of professional praise.” Beloved, God lives within the true praises of His people. Maybe you have been placed in a position where you have the choice to offer true praise or merely an illusion. Maybe you have found yourself in a place like me, where the Spirit seemingly stops moving and you resort to your own abilities in fear of total failure. Dear one, just do what is right. Soon all choices become habits, and habits become your destiny. Living in professional praise for too long will ultimately result in a life separated from God. The best definition of a hypocrite is simply “a play actor”. Lose the stage and find the altar. Do not settle for the easy road… find God when the Spirit doesn’t move, and refuse to be an illusionist… refuse to offer merely a cold professional praise.