In a way, interpretation is a game of the mind. Obviously, the associated tasks, listening, memorizing, translating, organizing, and speaking, all take place in our heads. What isn’t obvious is that the mind plays a bigger role outside the technical aspects to facilitate quality and consistent interpretation. Anyone who tries interpretation for long enough can probably relate.
In order to appreciate this facet of interpretation, let’s reframe the common question, “What does it take to do well in interpretation?” Rather, let’s ask, “What makes interpretation go terribly wrong?” On that front, I could think of several things off the top of my head.
Too Much in Your Head
As with any other mentally demanding activities such as sports and interviews, our heads can ironically get in the way of us using our heads. That’s especially true during interpretation because we practically use up all our mental resources and still need some more, which is why it’s crucial to make sure we get out of the way and save the bandwidth for real work.
Naturally, it’s not the best idea to be self-conscious. I know, just saying that is hardly helpful. But how about this, people are usually too busy focusing on the sermons, prayers, their own problems, and sometimes their cellphones to notice or criticize our interpretation. Even when I beat myself up for a mistake I made, nobody knew what I was saying when I mentioned it to them.
On that note, we make mistakes and the best way to deal with them is to move on, really. Guess what happens when we fixate on a previous mistake? We almost always make more. Let’s just stop the vicious cycle and downward spiral by laughing about it and snapping out of it. Remember, every sentence is a clean canvas.
Weird Headspace
It happens. Life gets out of control and completely throws us off even before interpretation begins. We show up sleep-deprived, anxious, worried, depressed, angry, you name it. Before I get started on what to do, let me just applaud you for showing up. That commitment is commendable and a kind of training in itself. After all, this is where we serve God, so let’s not take it lightly or crassly.
Now that we are here, it’s time to persevere because it’s likely going to be a battle. Fear not though, because we are serving the Almighty God, who is mighty to save and rich in miracles. More than ever, this is the moment to surrender to Him and trust in Him rather than ourselves. You never know. Sometimes these moments of weakness are precisely where God’s power is made perfect.
Practically, I find it helpful to hold on to some simple but powerful verses to help us focus and refocus. Mine is the second half of Proverbs 30:1, “… I am weary, God, but I can prevail.” Find one that resonates with you, and keep it in your heart as you push through. Take advantage of any empty slot to breathe deeply, recharge, and pray, before the next wave begins. Lastly, within your power, eat well and sleep well the night before. It helps tremendously.
Lack of Preparation
Preparation makes up for deficiencies. After over ten years of doing this, I still make preparation for things that I know will trip me up in runtime. For example, I make sure I can pronounce all the verses used in a sermon and predict whether more research is necessary given what I see on the outline. I don’t like surprises and want the final outcome to benefit from a reasonable effort on my side.
Sometimes, we get launched into a situation that is out of our depth, which most certainly calls for more preparation. We can kindly request a copy of the speaker’s scripts ahead of time, which most of our pastors are happy to provide anyway. We can look into the background of the topical verse. We can ask the prayer meeting leader about the direction and Bible verses of that day. We can even ask the worship team leader for the songs and lyrics.
Of course, none of these are mandatory, but they are the available options to help us be more ready and equipped. They also pave way for a better headspace to work from.
Misaligned Spirit
Make no mistake, interpretation at church is a spiritual task. Our natural abilities and preparation can only go so far, yet so many of us are able to “do the impossible” and complete sessions after sessions of interpretation beautifully thanks only to the Spirit of God. The way I see it, this is a collaboration between Him and us. We bring to the table all we got, and God fills it up to where it needs to be.
If that’s the case, don’t leave Him on the sideline. Otherwise, it’ll be like running an engine without engine oil, which is painful just to imagine. Pray in tongues. Pray with your understanding. Get our spirits up and aligned to the Spirit of God. Where else are they heading anyway?
Finally
To do this well, we need all the help we can get and we have all the help we need. That makes interpretation all the more wonderful because we personally experience how God meets us where we are and takes us to where we’ve never been before. But if our mind, and our spirit for that matter, are occupied, untamed, or dormant, that supernatural encounter can quickly turn into a struggle. Again, we are blessed because freedom is there if we call, power is there if we pray, and glory is there if we persevere.
Photo by Steve Johnson