The Art of Repeating

This afternoon, I was lying on a grassy hill for a few hours, just lying in the sun.

I was resting on my own, enjoying God’s creation, which I don’t do nearly enough. I was singing, and what was stuck in my head was a song bridge that I just kept repeating. It goes like this:

“So let your name be lifted higher, higher.” (Stronger, Hillsong Worship)

Just over and over again. There was no end to it, honestly.

In the original song, you repeat that line four times or so anyway, but for those few hours I just kept it going. And I thought; in a lot of songs, an important line is repeated. You sing the chorus a few times in a song, and a bridge is typically repeated. It’s because it’s important. It’s the bit you want people to notice, to remember.

In worship, the bridge is usually where the song builds. Other times it’s in the chorus, but there’s still a dramatic climb to get there. My favourite part in worship is when you’re singing a line that’s powerful and making an impact on you, and you repeat it. It makes it stand out even more, and it’s making it a proclamation. You’re declaring what you’re singing as truth.

When I was singing “So let your name be lifted higher, higher” and repeating it, it was declaring a truth in me that I will lift up Jesus’ name and I will glorify and praise Him. There’s a power in singing it over and over. It’s a declaration. The more it’s sung the stronger its hold.

Our words hold so much power, whether sung or not. And by repeating them we are placing it over us. Strengthening their hold on our lives and the meaning of the words in our hearts.

I learnt a new way of strumming my guitar today, and the more I did it the more confident I was and the easier it became. The more we repeat something the more we are confident in whatever has been repeated, the easier it will be to do or say the next time. And then one day, it’ll click. It’ll be your normal.

I want Jesus’ name to be my normal thought pattern.

Sarah xx