How to Bring Your Worst Week to Worship on Sunday

Mark led worship at his church for years, the kind

of guy everybody in a small town knew by name. he got arrested.

The charges were fraud and conspiracy to commit money

laundering, a case that became federal because it crossed state

lines. And when the judge handed down 16 months in federal prison,

the story ran in what felt like every newspaper in the state.

There was no hiding it. Everybody knew. His wife, Joy,

understood what that meant for the two of them on their first

Sunday back. They could walk into their church where Mark had

stood on stage more times than he could count and face a room

full of people who had read all about it. Or they could stay

home where it was safe. That Sunday they went. And they had

no idea their pastor had decided to preach a sermon on money and

to say Mark's name out loud from the pulpit. We'll come back to

what happened. But

first, welcome to Daily Devotions for Busy Lives. I'm

Bart Leger. If there's a Sunday and part of you would rather

stay in bed than face church, I want to talk you into going

anyway. I've watched the evening. I've watched a church do what

Mark's church did. Years ago, I was on staff where our treasurer,

who also served as a deacon, embezzled a few hundred thousand

dollars to build a new house. When he was confronted, he

confessed and repented. Then stood before the whole church

and admitted what he'd done. I can't imagine a longer walk to

the front of the sanctuary than that one. He faced serious

consequences and repaid what he'd taken and the congregation

forgave him. He stayed in the church. I saw firsthand that the

church can be the safest place a person can bring their worst. At

least, that's the place the church should be. Most of us

have had a Sunday like the one Mark and Joy faced, even if the

stakes were way smaller. The week wrecked you, and getting up

to sing about God's goodness feels impossible. Or maybe it's

shame. You did something you're not proud of. And the thought of

a room full of people who assume you've got it together makes you

want to disappear. So you're tempted to stay home where it's

safe and nobody can see you. A lot of us give in on the

mornings we need to be there the most. Now, here's something to

know about one of the most upbeat worship songs in the

Bible. Listen to Psalm 100. A psalm of thanksgiving. Shout

with joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with

gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy. Acknowledge

that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are His. We are His

people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with

thanksgiving. Go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him,

and praise His name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love

continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each

generation. Doesn't that sound like a psalm for people having a

great day? But here's the part we miss. This was a call to

worship sung by a whole community as they entered the

temple. And not everyone in that crowd was having a good week.

Some were grieving. Some had dragged themselves there on

empty, ashamed of something everyone knew. The psalm didn't

wait for them to feel joyful before it called them to worship.

It called them to come as they were, and let the truth about

God work on their feelings once inside. That should change how

we think about church. We treat worship as something for when we

already feel it and stay home when we don't. But worship is

mostly what you do when you don't feel like it. You come

because God is good and His love lasts forever, no matter what

kind of week you had. The feelings tend to follow the

obedience. They rarely lead it. So don't wait until you're in

the mood to worship. Bring the mood you're in and worship

anyway. The sermon was about money, and the pastor didn't

dodge it. He talked openly about what Mark had done and about the

repentance that had followed. And as Mark sat there, feeling

every eye in the room, something started to happen around him.

One by one, his small group got up and came to sit close around

him in joy, and they prayed for the two of them through the

whole message. Mark had walked in, braced for judgment. What

met him was grace with skin on. One family did leave the church

over it, but Mark and Joy stayed, and their church held them at

the lowest moment of their lives. Years later, Joy would point out

their church is named Hope. That's the thing about Psalm 100.

It tells us to come into his presence with thanksgiving, to

enter into his courts with praise. And it was written for

people who had to bring themselves to worship, whether

they felt like it or not. Sometimes, the biggest step of

the whole week is the one into the building. On the mornings,

you'd give anything to disappear. But that step is exactly where

God meets people. The ones he reaches most powerfully on a

Sunday are often the ones who almost stayed home. Here is

today's challenge. If you're bringing a wrecked week or a

load of shame into this weekend, decide right now. You're going

to church anyway. Don't wait to feel ready. Go the way you are,

empty or ashamed, and let that be your act of worship. If it

helps, tell one safe person before the service, I almost

didn't come today. That honestly opens a door for the grace Mark

found. People moving in close instead of backing away. The

biggest step is the one into the building. Take it, because

that's where God tends to meet people. Father, you know the

ones listening who are dreading this Sunday, who'd rather

disappear than be seen. Thank you that you never asked us to

feel worthy before we come, only to come. Meet the person walking

in, wrecked or ashamed, and let them find grace with skin on.

People who move toward them instead of away. Remind them

that you are good, and your love lasts forever, even in their

worst week. And be near in a way they can feel to everyone who

almost stayed home. In Jesus' name, amen. This podcast runs on

the generosity of listeners just like you. If Daily Devotions for

Busy Lives has encouraged you, would you consider supporting it

with a one-time gift or by becoming a monthly supporter?

Every contribution helps keep these devotions coming every

week. You can give at dailydevotionsforbusylives.com

Thank you so much. And thanks for joining me on Daily

Devotions for Busy Lives. Remember, worship is what you do

when you don't feel like it. And the person who almost stayed

home is often the one God meets most. Come back next time for

more encouragement to help you live grounded in God's truth.

Until then, God bless and have a great day.