When I was told that worship was what I was created to do it really threw me for a loop. If this is what I was created to do firstly why is it so hard for me to do with a pure heart and why do I spend most of my time not doing this thing?
These are questions that I have wrestled with for years and I am sure that I am not the only one. As humans I have noticed that we tend to fill our lives with a lot of the things we don't need and sprinkle in the things that we can't live without (like Jesus). Backwards but that's how we think. Maybe we only sprinkle in these things because we don't actually see them as things we can't live without. They have lost their importance in our lives. That is the first issue. We have to view God as the only thing we need to survive or we won't be able to worship with all of our hearts.
And before you ask me well Faith than what does being created to worship mean, or how can I practically do that in my life? I cant stand at church 90% of my week and just be singing and dancing. You're right you cant and thats what I thought it meant as well. I thought worship only consisted of singing songs or praise dancing but that is far from the truth.
Worship is
“The feeling or expression of reverence and adoration”
Reverence
“Deep respect for someone or something”
Worship is not JUST about lifting your hands but it is how you live. Worship is glorifying God whether that's through your actions or your words and or anything else that you can use to give God glory. If worship is an expression of reverence and adoration than that heart posture has a means of penetrating more than just your Sunday routine. I know I know I’m messing with your head right now. Worship beyond Sunday sounds crazy and unpractical but I promise you that it is going to be the most freeing thing and the most beneficial thing you do. Let's talk about Sunday first.
Worship on Sundays can easily become a routine. You get up and go to church you sing 4 songs and then there's offering and then you sing 2 more and then the preacher comes up. It seems like what we do and a lot of times we can get in the mindset of this is what we have to versus this is what we get to do to acknowledge God for what he has done in our lives. Worship is more about a heart posture than it is about the action that you do of singing and dancing. I challenge you to take a look at your heart when you wake up in the mornings. Does your heart cry out to God in desperation and adoration?
Worship is possible in everyday life because you can position your heart everyday to reverence and adore God. How?
1.Wake up and start off giving thanks to God for waking you up another day.
When we forget that God gives us everything especially the breath in our body we turn our hearts from worship. We not only turn our hearts from worship but we turn them to self-sufficiency.
2. Don't be scared to sing praise and worship songs in your room by yourself. Lift your hands and cry out to God. You don't need to be around a bunch of people to lift your voice in praise.
You don't have to be the best singer for God to be blessed by the aroma of praise that comes from your mouth. He wants authentic praise because honestly that is the most beautiful version of praise.
3. Throughout the day be constantly thankful. Look for the gifts God gives you throughout the day even if it is simply a green light at the right time. Be in a constant mindset of gratitude. You should be expressing to God more gratitude than complaints.
Have you ever thought that the amount of time we spend complaining actually reflects what we believe about God? If I am consumed by the things in my life that aren't going the way I want them to or the things that don't look right what does that say about my view of God? It says that I don't believe that God can actually fix the things in my life and that stems from one of two beliefs. The first belief being that YOU can handle the situation better than God. This one is dangerous because there is a clear presence of pride here. This thought can cause you to lean on your own understanding and try and control your own life. From personal experience this leads to DEATH. The thought that you can handle the situations in your life will lead to fleshly desire and away from Christ. The second perspective is one that is unaware of the power that God has. Not knowing God can lead to distrust in his goodness and provision. When we seek God we will find him so when you don't trust God’s goodness and provision than seek him because he will show you.
Worship is a big thing in my life right now because I lead worship for the best youth group in America- Fusion. It has been challenging leading worship because it has caused me to get out of my comfort zone and do things that I am not super confident about. I am not the best singer and I would not typically volunteer for singing especially not leading worship in front of people. I was basically voluntold and I am so grateful. Leading worship has stretched me in my boldness and even in what worship looks like and means for my life. It has taught me that worship isn't about me anyways. The way I sing a song is not the main focus. Originally when we started I wanted to kids to see me. I wanted them to think I was amazing but I was convicted of that. When I am leading worship my job is to lead people to Christ not to myself. Now I desire more than anything for the kids to see Jesus in me and not me.
Lets challenge ourselves to worship God in EVERY aspect of our lives and not only allow worship to penetrate singular days of your week.
