Do You Have The Time?

I was reflecting the other day on how far I've come in my musicianship. Like many musicians, I still have plenty to learn, but I can't help but remember an early experience in my worship-leading journey that highlighted a significant area where I needed to grow—keeping time.

I was leading worship one Sunday and asked a drummer friend to help us out. We didn't have in-ear monitors back then and were using wedges. The drummer suggested running a click track to help us keep the tempo. I had never used one before, and I quickly got flustered. I felt like the click was dragging and ruining the energy. In my pride, I thought I could keep time myself and didn't need that extra help.

It took a few years before I finally embraced using a click in my musicianship. It wasn’t until recently that I truly understood its value. Here are a few key lessons I've learned:

1. Embrace Tools That Help Us Grow

In my early days, I resisted using a click track because I felt it was unnecessary. But over time, I realized how important it is to embrace tools that aid our growth. A click track, for instance, centers the whole team, providing a steady, reliable tempo that enhances the overall experience. It’s not just about improving the quality of the music—it’s about creating an atmosphere that eliminates distractions, allowing others to encounter the presence of God without hindrance.

2. God’s Timing is Like a Click Track

During a recent conversation with a fellow musician, we were discussing God’s faithfulness and perfect timing. She made a comment that stuck with me: "God is like the click." His timing is always perfect, even when we don’t understand it. Like a click track keeps musicians aligned, God’s timing aligns our lives, even when we feel uncertain or out of rhythm. Trusting His timing helps us stay centered in the bigger picture of His plan.

3. Surrender Your Need for Control

My early resistance to the click was rooted in pride. I thought I had everything under control. But the more I surrendered my need for control and relied on the click, the more freedom I found in leading worship without the fear of losing time. Similarly, surrendering to God’s perfect timing frees us from anxiety and allows us to lead with confidence, knowing He holds everything together.

The journey of growth—whether in musicianship or faith—is never without challenges. But as we embrace tools for improvement and trust in God's faithfulness, we find the peace and confidence we need to thrive. Let’s lean into God’s timing, trusting that He is always in control, just like the steady rhythm of a click track guiding us forward.