Youth Ministry Ideas: It's Not Easy

by Joshua Goh

This is the first in a series that I want to dedicate to all the musicians, artists, vocalists, dancers, sound engineers, lighting crew, and every other creative individual in church; the church would never be complete without you.

I'll be the first to admit that it's not easy being an artist in church. Just like Kermit the Frog sang, "It's not easy bein' green," we sometimes feel different from the other people in church, that no one quite understands us, or can't seem to relate to us. Other times, it feels like there's so many people far more talented, more spiritual, more appreciated, more deserving, or more favored than we are.

One thing's for sure, you're not alone if you've ever felt this way. In fact, I haven't met one musician who hasn't struggled with these thoughts and emotions at one time or another, myself included. My first tendency would be to retreat, wallow in my own inadequacies, feeling like I'm not good enough. I've found this response never solved anything, and all it did was make me feel much worse and feel like quitting.

I guess the first step to wholeness is to acknowledge what we're feeling and be honest to God about it. The Psalmists knew this. They were musicians and artists, just like us. They shared the same struggles in their day. Their songs of worship were born out of their real struggles to understand God. They didn't hold back what they were feeling from God, instead, they cried out to Him freely and openly. Whatever we're personally struggling with, we all need to experience the freedom of releasing our angst, pain, resentment, insecurities to a God who surrendered the glory of Heaven to identify with us, His creations.

Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV)
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. [14] I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. [15] My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, [16] your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

That's right, you are fearfully and wonderfully made. God makes no mistakes and even though you may see others far more creative than you are, there really isn't anyone else on this planet that was meant to fulfill the role created you for. He custom-made you for His service even before you were born. He gifted you with the unique skills and talents you have. And that's the truth.

Let's take our cue from Kermit, he may have started out questioning why he couldn't have been created more special, more spectacular but he ended up coming to his senses in the turnaround but the third verse and by the the end of the song, there is true wisdom in what he says,

"When green is all there is to be It could make you wonder why, but why wonder why Wonder, I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful And I think it's what I want to be"

There's no need to question why God made us the way He did. After all, His creation - you - are beautiful. Looking back, I've always returned from what I call my "honest times with God" feeling refreshed, assured of His plans and purposes for me in church as a creative person and believing, "Yes, thank you God for making me the way I am, I think it's what and where I want to be".

"Bein' Green" It's not that easy being green Having to spend each day the color of the leaves When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow or gold Or something much more colorful like thatIt's not easy being green
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're
Not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water
Or stars in the sky
But green's the color of Spring
And green can be cool and friendly-like
And green can be big like an ocean, or important
Like a mountain, or tall like a tree
When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why, but why wonder why
Wonder, I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful
And I think it's what I want to be

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