Worship Is...

How do we define worship? Is it just a genre of music or a way to distinguish the tempo of a song? Within various worship circles I hear people say, “Worship is a lifestyle.” I believe that to be true, and have often said so myself. Have you ever stopped to deeply reflect upon just what that means though? If worship is a lifestyle then everything we do becomes an act of worship and offering to God. There are two key aspects I would like to offer you this month as you ponder and internalize the idea of worship as a lifestyle.

The first is this, worship is your ATTENTION! Whatever monopolizes your attention is the recipient of your worship. To give something or someone your attention is not just about being present in moments of actual engagement, but it also involves your ongoing mindset and attitude. It is being constantly aware of giving preference to that thing or person with your attention. In other words, what you focus on becomes your worship. What do you expend mental energy on? How’s your thought life? What are you meditating upon day in, day out? Wherever your mind goes, there is the place of your attention.

The second point I’d like you to consider is that worship is your TIME! What consumes your life, your routine day to day activities? Is it your career, your spouse, your children, your ministry? Maybe social media, your habits, your friendships, an addiction, or social events? If worship is a lifestyle, then the real question is, “What kind of life are you living?” Is it one where God is the focal point of your thoughts? Does he consume your TIME and ATTENTION? Is He the object of your love and affection? If so, is it reflected in how you live every day?

Deuteronomy 6:5 says,” You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (NKJV). When we give ourselves to God in this way, we can’t help but to keep him the center of our ATTENTION and TIME. It is not that God does not want us to have other loves in our life. But, nothing and no one should be before God. It is vital to a healthy relationship with God and others that we keep that in check so that we may live in balance and order. Be very careful who and what you give your attention and time to. These two are very precious and should be filled with that which will always point us back to God. Beware if anyone or thing pulls you so much away from God that He no longer dominates your ATTENTION and TIME.

If having a lifestyle of worship was a crime, and the people you interact with on a day-to-day basis were interviewed to attest to rather or not you could be labeled a “Worshiper of God,” would there be enough evidence based upon the way you live for you to be convicted? Worship is bigger than what we do when we sing a song or gathering in a building with other believers. It’s not just what we do, it’s WHO WE ARE! Worship is everything in our lifestyle and our lifestyle is a mirror reflection of how we direct our ATTENTION and TIME! What is worship? Worship is…YOU!