Worship is an Attitude

As I am thinking about worship this week, I wanted to pass some of my thoughts on to you. This will be kind of like my own worship journal, and I’ll be sending them to you as time goes by and new thoughts and questions arise about worship.

This week, I’m thinking about attitude and its direct correlation to worship. When asked for a definition of worship, my first response is often “worship is an attitude: you choose your attitude.” As I talk about this, I realize that so much of our response is based on a correct attitude towards worship. Many times, I feel, we get caught up in the preferences of style and forget about the real reason we are worshipping – God. Whether we prefer a more traditional style of worship, or a more contemporary style of worship, the underlying factor to it all is that it’s about God, not us.

This is where our attitude comes in. If our attitude is not right at the beginning of the time of worship (be it in private or corporate) it is highly likely that we will not feel satisfied through this time of worship. While this is not the purpose of worship, I find that many times when I enter into the presence of God with a correct attitude, I leave feeling satisfied. (We certainly should not confuse worship with a feeling, as there have also been times in my life where I have left a worship service with a certain burden on my shoulder as well.)

So what kind of attitude is a correct attitude? As I think about it, it comes down to a couple of questions:

1. Am I here to worship God, or am I here to feel good? If I am here to worship God, my attitude is correct, if I am here to get a good feeling there will inevitably be something blocking me from an encounter with God.
2. Along these lines: Is this all about me, or is it all about God? Obviously if we are in this for our own gratification, we will come up short at the end.
3. Are there problems in my life keeping me from entering into His presence? I am always intrigued by the arguments that will arise among families on a Sunday morning, especially on the way to church. Could there be a sin issue that is hindering my worship of God? Am I going through a crisis right now that I have not given to God? What might there be in my life that is a hindrance to my encounter with God through worship.
4. Am I in a right relationship with God? Often sin will keep us from entering in to the presence of the Lord, but also distance in our relationship with God will keep us from a time of worship. Have I been spending time in the word? Have I been spending time in Prayer? Have I been spending time fellowshipping with other believers? Have I been spending time sharing the gospel? These are all (among others) areas of our relationship with God that could keep of from a time of worship.

Think about these words:

“Thou art worthy, Thou art worthy, Thou art worthy of Lord,
to receive glory, glory and honor, glory and honor and power.
For thou hast created, has all things created; Thou hast created all things.
And for Thy pleasure they are created; for Thou art worthy, O Lord.”

God is worthy, because of Who He is. We weren’t created for our own pleasure, we were created for His. Sure we experience pleasure. True pleasure, though is only a direct result of a right relationship with God. But, let’s think about this during our next time of worship, we are here to give God pleasure, we are worshipping God, not a style of music, or a particular song. We worship God for who He is and what He has done for us, we need no other reason. “Not to us, but to your name, Lord be the Glory.”