How Prettied Up Do I Have to be… to Worship?

Well, I’m starting this day off right… with a headache.

I used to think that worship was: me at my best, with a smiling face, wearing nice clothes, in church before the service, singing to the worship songs led by the praise team.

Of course, there was also me singing in my car to worship music as well.

But all of it was usually me at my best, singing (with a smile) to God.

In a Whole Heap of Pain? WORSHIP Him

I still remember a couple years ago, when I was attacked by an animal & had to rush to the hospital… recovering from the trauma of that, feeling newfound fear I had never had to deal with before of whether or not it would happen to me again because the attack was so unexpected.

As I was praying for peace & comfort from the fear & trauma response I was dealing with, God’s answer caught me off guard. He impressed upon my heart to worship & praise Him.

How unusual a solution to all of the inner pain & fear that was knocking around inside of my heart… how insensitive a solution it seemed.

But after many more prayers basically of, “well, obviously THAT can’t be the real solution You are offering… so… what else?” Well… God kept repeating the same solution over my heart. “Worship me. Praise me.”

(Read more on this in “Will I Praise Him in the Storm? Do I Trust God?”)

How Can I Praise Him When They Don’t Mean It?

Then, there was the time, 15 ish years ago, when I was helping at some youth group whatever & the praise team seemed more like a mini rock concert of teens leading & feeling uber spiritual while getting to feel like popular rock stars among their fellow teens.

It felt icky listening because I can sometimes get a sense for how people are feeling & they were just oozing “LOOK AT ME!” while leading WORSHIP to GOD.

I had a hard time singing along. I prayed about it a lot because it really messed with me seeing self-absorbed reactions instead of humble worshippers on stage.

But, in one of the teen services, something smacked me in the face as I prayed during this time once again. “Whether or not THEY are genuine should not impact whether or not YOU are genuine in your worship.”

Ouch.

Worship Anytime Anywhere to Any Song

And again, in conversation with one of my former pastors, a friend of ours, he expressed quite a controversial thought… that ANY music can become worship.

At the mall with no choice over the play list? You can worship God to it in your heart.

How? Well, imagine the song is about LOVE. Who created us to experience such a wonderful feeling? God. Imagine it’s about having a good day. Who is the author of all good things? God.

And you know what? I am going to take it a step FURTHER to be even MORE controversial than he was…. What if they’re singing about something sinful? Gasp… you can thank God for saving you out of such a life. Worship. (Would I intentionally listen to something that promotes things that dishonor God? No. But if I am around as it is playing in a public space, even then, I can choose to worship.)

AND… flipping this idea on its head & making it even MORE controversial… you can sing actual Christian worship songs & actually be devoid of any worship at all. (Read more about that, here: “Does Our Worship Reflect Self-Glory?”)

Worship Is Not Exclusive to Singing to or Listening to Music

You see, worship is not some pre-packaged set of worship songs sung before a church service while being led by a hands-raised praise team. Worship doesn’t even require music at all.

True worship is actually a heart posture.

True worship is a bowing down of SELF & a lifting up of HIM.

It says, “Not I, but Christ.”

It says, “Whatever You will, LORD.”

It says, “Come what may, I will trust You IN the hard.”

It says, “Above all, You are worthy to be praised!”

It takes our focus off of this world… off our desires… off our needs… off ourselves….

And onto Him.

THAT is worship.

Come What May, He Is Worthy to be Praised

It does not mean being fake. Don’t get me wrong on this. It is not a, “I feel terrible, but I have to be ‘Christian-y’ & make God happy & do right responses to get Him to help me or so I don’t look like a ‘bad Christian.’”

No. It is an intentional heart posture that bows down before His figurative throne/feet & says, “Lord, You are God & I am not. You are worthy to be praised despite my circumstances. Help me to trust in You come what may because You deserve it whether I feel like it or not right now.”

What Is Worship?

Loving others for His sake is worship. Serving others for His sake is worship. Bowing your will to the benefit of others for His sake is worship.

Giving for His sake is worship. Generosity for His sake is worship. Sacrifice for His sake is worship.

Doing hard things for His sake is worship. Obedience to Him is worship.

Turning to Him instead of others/other things is worship. Bowing your bad attitude to be humbled & changed for His sake is worship. Bowing your life to be used by Him is worship.

Living your life seeking to please & honor Him is worship.

Coming to Him after failure & sin & trusting on Jesus to be sufficient even then is worship.

Sobbing as you cry out to Him in the worst of pain, trusting Him as your source of comfort & peace is worship.

Worship Is Messy Sometimes

Worship is messy sometimes. Worship says that no matter what we face, He is worthy to be praised.

And you know what? That time, after I was attacked by an animal & God responded to my prayers for help by asking me to worship? When I finally stopped questioning His response & stopped asking for the next option… & I worshipped Him in my clenching, aching heart… I felt the burden begin to lift from my heavy heart.

My heart was being comforted in remembering how greatly He is to be praised despite my circumstances. That He had me. That He was in control. That He would heal. That He would comfort. That He would love me through it.

Worship lifted my focus from my wrenching pain to His wonderful glory.

Worship Doesn’t Always Have to Look Pretty

I mean, have you read the Psalms? They are not all pretty, sunshine, & rainbows. But they are all worship.

Worship is messy sometimes. Sometimes it’s with a heavy heart & a tear-stained face. Sometimes it’s when the hard hasn’t even begun to stop yet. Sometimes it doesn’t make everything get better right away.

But it lifts our focus from the mire & clay & ASH… to His wonderful, loving, powerful, gracious, worthy & deserving face.

My God Is an Awesome God, He Is Worthy to be Praised

My God is an awesome God

He is worthy to be praised.

When my sin demanded payment.

Jesus took my place.

I deserve the pits of Hell,

But Jesus died to save.

When all in life seems to die,

And nothing seems to be okay.

My Jesus died to give me life.

My joy is here to stay… come what may…

My God is an awesome God.

He is worthy to be praised.

AMEN!

Even When I Have a Headache

So, why did I start this blog off by randomly mentioning a headache before moving on with this discussion about messy worship? Because even when I am not at my best, even when I don’t feel so great… I can choose to bring Him glory & to worship Him through even that, by choosing to lift up His name even when I am feeling low.

Shine HOPE by turning your eyes to Him & offering Him worship in every season of life, good or bad, plenty or lack, joy or pain, comfort or suffering. He is worthy to be praised!

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