I know I’m going to get some grief for what I’m about to say. Nevertheless, here goes. A lot of people think that worshipping God means going to church, singing songs, praying, and listening to a message. That can be worship if our hearts are in it. It can even be worship if we’re making a sacrifice of dragging our exhausted carcasses out of bed to get there. Sometimes it’s all we can do to show up.
Going to church is not worship if we’re going because it’ll connect us socially to the all the right people. It’s not worship if we’re going because it’s expected of us and we’ll get a lecture, or at least the “side eye,” from family or friends if we don’t go. It’s not worship if we’re going in order to be entertained at the “pep rally” and concert. And it’s not authentic worship if we consider it an obligation to perform, devoid of any desire to be there.
The problem is that too many Christians think that to show up on Sunday and punch the clock for an hour checks the box on worshipping God. WRONG.
Real worship, our place of maximum impact, is in the fulfillment of His purpose for our lives beyond one hour on Sunday morning. It is real worship when our attitudes, words, and actions reflect our faith and make it obvious to anyone who’s observing us that we are followers of Christ. If no one can guess that we’re Christian, we’re doing it wrong.
Our relationships should reflect our faith. Our beliefs and values should show up in the quality of our work and the attitude with which we do it. Our lives, overall, should lead people to the conclusion that we are followers of Jesus.
The optimum goal for Christians is a life that includes congruent worship, meaning we whole-heartedly worship God on Sunday mornings, and in everything we do the whole rest of the week. We’re nailing it when we’re the same person on Sunday mornings that we are on Friday nights, when we’re making right choices, and treating people well—including the people who dance on our last nerves.
To be kind to people who are mean, rude, or dismissive of us is worshipping God. To do our work, whatever it is, with excellence is worshipping God. To be responsible and to fulfill our obligations to our family, neighbors, community, and employers, is to worship God. To be kind, generous, forgiving, patient, humble, and joyful is to worship God. When we live like this, we are showing (instead of telling) about our faith. Faith like this that is seen by unbelievers is far more attractive and persuasive than words.
Can you imagine every believer living like this? If we did, our faith-filled actions would speak for us. Our consistent, congruent attitudes, words, and actions could be the most powerful evangelism in which we could ever engage. Loving others and living right is powerful worship.
Can you imagine Christians all making good choices, treating people well, and doing what each of us was born and perfectly matched to do--or what I call, "putting our love into action"?!?
I suspect that many of the things that we pray about would be resolved. Not by God reaching a supernatural hand out of the sky (although He could), but through the actions of us, the ones He sent to do good in the world. Isn’t that our real worship? To love one another, not merely with words, but with action?
Let’s Worship God 24/7 With Our Lives And Watch The World Change
Rhonda Sciortino calls herself a "fully yielded believer," meaning that she spends every day between today and the day she meets Jesus face to face doing her best to fulfill God's good plan for her life. She thinks that the fulfillment of the plan for her is helping others find and fulfill God's plan for them.