The Hard Truth About Worship.

This past year God has been showing me how imperfect the church is. How beautiful the church is because God has redeemed the church and we are his bride. One of the areas in the church that I think is  one of the most "sensitive" areas is worship. Worship is a way that we connect with God. It is our way of almost loving God back. A way where we can feel and know Gods love and grace for us. Worship is such a beautiful thing. Sometimes with all different denominations, generations, and different styles of worship the church can have different opinions. I've been on worship team at my church and now school for about three to four years. One thing I have noticed and I have struggled with is competition. I feel like as a church that is one of the biggest unspoken topics.  When you go to church every week or when your leading worship every week. It can sometimes become a routine. When it becomes a routine that is when we sometimes can loose sight of God. Worship becomes something that is  not about worshiping in spirit and in truth anymore but it becomes worshiping the songs. We start to either compare our church with other churches or if your on worship team you start to feel as if you should do this or have this. You should lead this song etc.. Honestly, everyone has probably had thoughts similar to this or even exactly like this.  This past summer God shattered my view of worship and has rebuilt it. The  real question is I can lead people into worship every week, but am I leading others into worship by the way I live? Do other people see the love of God in me and start to yearn and seek him. Worship is far greater from just an emotional experience. Sure God can touch us and heal us during worship. That should not be what makes us worship God. For me I never intentionally thought "I am going to worship God so I can feel him." But it started to become my heartset. That is when God reminded me I worship in Spirit and in Truth. If the emotional side is why we are worshiping then we will be led astray fast. Emotions are fleeting but the spirit of God and the Truth of God is a stronghold that will never lead us astray. Its this emotional yearning to be constantly in deep worship with God. Which is not bad. If we are not also grounded in the truth of God and in the Spirit of God then we will surely be led astray. Worship is an area where we don't always check our hearts. It is an area I know in my life that I have to check.

"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is the spirit and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:23-24.

So it does not matter how people worship around you or what worship song you're singing or leading. Our father will accept our worship when its grounded in Him. Ultimately when it comes to the bottom line that is what matters most.