It’s not an easy task to humble ourselves. This takes putting aside our pride and accepting a loss, correction, guidance, etc. However, being humble is usually connected with becoming meek or maybe stepping into the background a bit more. Being humble is often equated with stepping out of the limelight and taking the attention off ourselves. Let me tell you, God truly changed my outlook on what being humble truly means when I was thrust into the lead position of a band.
I grew up being surrounded by performers, especially my father and older sister. They were musicians who loved using their talents for God. Standing on a stage in front of hundreds, or even thousands of people, was like second nature to them. For me, it was straight up the most terrifying thing you could ever ask of me. I would only sing at church if they would turn off the lights, shine a spotlight on the cross, and let me sing from the back. Sounds dramatic, but I would freeze. My biggest fear? That people would see me and not Jesus. My other biggest fear? I would screw up.
I finally joined a band with my family (Light Up The Darkness) after many years of begging from family and friends. I didn’t want to sing, scream, or do anything out front if I could help it. I had a double stacked keyboard and I gladly hid behind it. After more begging, I finally settled and did some vocals here and there, but came up with countless excuses to get out of it on the regular. Fast forward many years later – the family band is no longer together, and I’m now the lead singer/screamer of World Breaker. It took a good year of my husband begging me before I agreed to the position.
There have been moments where I wanted to quit and never look back. However, God has had a different plan and that plan has humbled me in a way I never knew existed. I thought I was being humble by not making it about me and sinking into the background. Here’s the problem – how in the world would Jesus have a chance to shine through me if I was hiding? God showed me pretty quickly that in order to humble myself, I actually needed to step into the spotlight instead of out of it. I was too hyper focused on how others would perceive me, that I forgot that God was in control. He gave me those talents so I could turn around and give Him the glory.
Sometimes, we have to humble ourselves in reverse – let go of our fears, stop hiding, and shine bright. God will handle the rest.
by Shannon Graham of World Breaker