What is your goal when you begin to learn to play the piano?
For some of you, maybe it’s simply a “bucket list” item… You’ve always dreamed of playing fluidly but just never been able to make it happen. For others, maybe it’s to have a hobby outside of work… One that can help you relax, decompress and remove yourself from the stressors of the day.
But for some of you, your goal goes even further…
Yes, maybe those things are true of you, but they’re not the biggest reason.
I believe for a lot of you, the biggest reason you’re wanting to learn piano is to eventually be able to lead a congregation, friends, family in worship through music.
I talk to many people who have felt the call of God on their life to do so and just never had the right outlet for it. They’ve felt God impresses them what they need to do and are in the waiting and seeking seasons.
You may even potentially feel you’re ready to dive in, but God has not allowed an opportunity to arise just yet.
If this is you, I’ve been right where you are. I can vividly remember being in early college, attending a worship night for one of the larger college ministries around town, and feeling such a strong sense that leading worship was what I needed to do.
So, after the service was over, I went up to one of the worship leaders and told them what I felt I was called to do. And I asked them one simple question that I’ve now answered literally hundreds, if not thousands of times… “How did you get to do what you’re doing now?”
It seemed to me that they MUST have done something way out of the ordinary to receive an opportunity like this. Or that they must be SUPERHUMAN when it came to singing or playing their instrument.
But, that was not the answer I received. The answer I received was actually more deflating to me at the time because I wanted something tangible… Something measurable and calculated.
But, what I received was very fluid, uncertain, immeasurable, and unpredictable. He said, “You really just have to keep serving and leading well WHERE YOU ARE.”
That hit me like a ton of bricks. “What do you mean???” “I can’t just work my way to a certain point to do something like this?” “I can’t control my own destiny with this??”
All of those thoughts were rushing into my head and were honestly a bit overwhelming. I’m very much a “doer”. I love to know that when I do something, there will be a tangible positive result tied to it…
If I mow and edge the yard, it instantly looks better… If I vacuum and mop the floors, the house looks a whole lot cleaner than it did a few minutes back.
I wanted a formula, but what I received was FREEDOM. It may sound odd, but the truth of what I heard that night was this…
When I’m content with where I am and with what God has for me, is when I will be operating out of the place where God can use me. AND I will be living in a place of such freedom due to my reliance on the Father for what is next.
Freedom to consistently grow, develop and serve in the place where I am, comes from a place of gratitude to the Father for the grace He’s already shown.
I can’t tell you how many times in my own life and in my wife’s, where God has done something extraordinary, life-changing – we’re truly blessed…
But, here’s the thing… These extraordinary things came at a time when we were committed to doing what God had designed for us in that season. We were keeping our eyes fixed on him, grateful to be a part of what He was doing around us and yet all the while, digging in and plowing the fieldset before us.
I definitely don’t say this to appear as if we have our lives all perfectly put together because that is far from the truth.
What I do hope to offer you today is some encouragement, but also a NEXT STEP… As you continue to plow and remain faithful where you are, I want to help equip you. Help equip you to feel confident in leading others, yourself, or a multitude of people in moments of musical worship.
Today, we’re taking one step in that direction. We’re going to learn to play the piano. We will be learning the song “Mercy” from Bethel. But, even more importantly than that, we’ll be learning the Key of F#. Many songs are in this key, including one that you probably know called “Reckless Love”.
Today, I’m going to walk you through how to feel comfortable and confident to not only play in this key but also to learn how to play this incredible song from Bethel!
Check out the video above and learn to play the piano. Take the next step as you continue to remain faithful where you are!
Rooted Music