Music. What a concept. I've been involved in music ministry now for about 25 years in a myriad of venues, from performance to worship leading to back up vocals, to band member, and on the list goes. I've been out front for a good while, but have been in the shadows mostly.
That's where the real rubber meets the real road.
I've found that many of us "musical type" folks are like untamed race horses in the stalls. We were built for running out front ahead of the crowd, but have to wait in the stocks until time to run. We get impatient and frustrated in the wait. We chomp at the bit trying to find some kind of way out. But the more we try, the more frustrated and irritated we become. And as a result of our impatience, we could even injure ourselves to the point that we destroy all chances of running period. Just like that race horse kicking against the stall continues to kick and kick until it kicks wrongly and breaks its leg in a way that it can no longer stand the pressure of running, so we keep kicking and kicking to try and find a way to get going that we blow any real chance of it. This sometimes shows up in bad and hasty choices, wrong decisions of who to hook up with, jumping at insecure opportunities, and so forth.
Many times, though, we strive to become household names and well-known people. Many times it's an innocent pursuit of something we simply love and as a by-product, we enter the curse of exposure and forfeit privacy. Other times it's just the pursuit of being the center of attention. But here's my question: "When all is said and done, what will you have left behind?" Will you have been popular only, or effective for something that will last forever. What do you want? Notoriety or lasting effectiveness? What do you want? To be famous or relevant? It is possible to have both, but your heart motive will decide it. What are you motivated by? Why do you do the things you do? What's the REAL reason?
What do you want?
Selah.
G