If you’ve ever picked up a worship flag and immediately wondered, “Am I doing this right?” you’re not alone.
Learning to worship with flags can feel awkward at first. The movements may feel unfamiliar, you may be unsure of what to do next, or you may find yourself thinking more about how you look than actually worshipping.
I remember the first time I picked up a flag. It felt clumsy and awkward, and I wasn’t sure if I was doing it right either. But I kept going. Over time, what once felt uncomfortable became more natural, and that willingness to keep going helped me grow in confidence and freedom.
If you’re in that beginning stage right now, give yourself permission to grow.
Feeling Awkward Is Normal
Almost anything new feels unnatural at first.
Think about learning to ride a bike, dance, play an instrument, or develop any other new skill. Your body has to become familiar with movements it hasn’t done before. Worship flags are no different.
The more time you spend practicing, the more comfortable those movements will begin to feel.
You don't have to rush the process.
One of the best places to begin is during your personal worship time. When it’s simply you and God, there’s no pressure to perform or wonder what someone else may be thinking.
Put on worship music, pick up your flag, and allow yourself to move.
You may feel awkward at first—and that's okay.
Take the Pressure Off Yourself
Sometimes the awkwardness we feel isn't really about the flag. It's the pressure we're putting on ourselves.
Maybe you've watched another worshipper move beautifully and thought, “My flags don't look like that.”
Maybe you're concentrating so hard on remembering movements that you're afraid of making a mistake.
Or perhaps you're simply worried that someone is watching you.
You don't have to worship like anyone else.
Give yourself room to learn without expecting yourself to immediately move like someone who has been worshipping with flags for years. Confidence develops with time, practice, and experience.
The goal isn't to become someone else's version of a flag worshipper. It's to become comfortable enough with your worship tool that you can freely express your own worship before God.
Worship Is About God, Not People
This is where our focus matters.
Worship isn't about looking perfect. It's about offering our hearts to God.
In 2 Samuel 6:14–22, David worshipped before the Lord with abandon. Even when his expression of worship was criticized, his attention remained on the Lord.
That is such an important reminder when we begin worrying about what other people may think of our worship.
The more your attention shifts from:
“How do I look?” to: “God, I am here to worship You,” the less important everything around you becomes.
Your movements don't have to be perfect for your worship to be sincere.
Confidence Comes With Time
You may not feel completely free the first time you pick up a flag—or the fifth.
That's okay.
Continue practicing. Continue worshipping. Continue allowing yourself to learn.
Over time, movements that once required a lot of thought can begin to feel natural. As that happens, you'll spend less time concentrating on the flag and have more freedom to simply worship.
Don't allow an awkward beginning to convince you that flag worship isn't for you.
Sometimes awkwardness is simply part of learning something new.
Worship Freely
If you're feeling awkward with worship flags right now, don't let that stop you.
Start in your personal worship time. Take the pressure off yourself. Give yourself permission to learn. Most importantly, keep your attention on God rather than on how you appear to others.
True freedom in worship isn't found in executing every movement perfectly.
It's found when you can let go of the pressure and focus your heart entirely on Him.
Want More Encouragement?
In the full teaching, I Feel Awkward Using Worship Flags… What Should I Do?, I share more encouragement from my own experience and talk about growing in confidence as you continue your flag worship journey.
Watch the Full Teaching: I Feel Awkward Using Worship Flags… What Should I Do?