How to Lead Worship Through Difficult Times: Choosing Praise in Every Season

Have you ever led a worship set and noticed someone in the congregation struggling with life-changing loss, mental health challenges, or concerns about a loved one? As a worship leader, your heart naturally desires to help them connect with God through praise, even during these tough times.

Or perhaps you’re the one going through a hard time, standing on stage thinking, I’m struggling. I don’t really feel like worshiping today. If you’ve felt this way, you’re not alone.

The Challenge of Worship During Hard Times

It’s easy for fears, doubts, and concerns to hinder our connection with God through worship. But remember the good news you share every week: praise isn’t just for thanking God for the good times; it’s also a powerful way to experience God’s strength when we need it most.

That’s why we at Life.Church Worship wrote the song “We Choose Praise”—to remind us that God is present in both the darkest nights and the brightest days.

Three Key Reminders for Leading Worship Through Any Circumstance

1. Remember God’s Story

When life gets tough, it’s easy to lose sight of God’s faithfulness. Throughout the Bible, we see people who faced loss, anxiety, fear, and doubts, yet God consistently met them with love, kindness, and provision—though His timing wasn’t always immediate. God invites us to trust Him, even in the midst of defeat and exile, knowing He is working all things together for good.

Building a rhythm of remembrance into your life is essential. Regularly reading encouraging stories from Scripture or setting aside time for intentional prayer can help you keep God’s faithfulness in focus.

As you remember God’s faithfulness, be open with those you lead in worship. Share a meaningful verse or a personal story of how Scripture has strengthened you.

2. Follow Jesus’ Example

Jesus exemplified turning pain into praise. Whether at Lazarus’ death or in Gethsemane, Jesus consistently transformed moments of pain into opportunities to trust God’s plan.

“Jesus exemplified turning pain into praise, consistently transforming moments of deep sorrow into opportunities to trust God’s plan.”

Praise is more than words sung on Sunday; it’s a lifestyle of devotion. Nothing—not critics, haters, or betrayals—stopped Jesus from praising God with His whole life.

Remind yourself and your congregation that pain is not a sign of God’s absence. Instead, it’s a part of living in a broken world. Like Jesus, we should run toward God as our source of relief, comfort, and courage.

Take time to reflect on Jesus’ life and actions. Encourage your worship team to do the same, leading them to see how Jesus turned His pain into praise every time.

3. Choose Praise

As a worship leader, you understand that singing a worship song doesn’t automatically mean you’re praising God. Praise is a choice—a decision to acknowledge God’s love, power, and faithfulness, even when life is hard.

Praise might not change your circumstances, but it can change your heart. It helps refocus your mind on God, who is always worthy of praise.

This week, remind your congregation that we don’t praise God because He makes life easy; we praise Him because He is worthy. While feelings and challenges are valid, no emotion or situation diminishes God’s worthiness of our wholehearted worship.

Resources to Help You Lead

If you need a song to help your congregation choose worship in every season, check out “We Choose Praise,” the latest single from Life.Church Worship, available wherever you listen to music. You can also find free resources to lead this song in your church on Life.Church Open Network.