How do we know if we are passionate worshipers or if we worship from routine? Is there a way to determine the sincerity of my worship, or is it deep within my soul and only I know whether my worship to God is passionate or not. If we are going to be passionate worshipers for Christ and demonstrate lives that bring glory to God, there are a few things we need to keep in mind. With the scripture as our foundation, let’s consider how we can sing songs of praise that will not only encourage (admonish) one another, but be pleasing in the sight of our God.
As we build a stronger heart for worship, we must first be ‘strengthened with power’, ‘according to the power that works within us.’ Ephesians 3:16, 20. When we desire a fuller understanding of the importance of worship within our lives, we find that the outward display of worship must be derived from deep within our lives. Giving God the leftover pieces of our hearts is as worthy as giving our spouse a kiss after returning from a love affair. Too many ‘worshipers’ give God what they scrape from the surface of their hearts, rather than the depths of their lives.
But what does it mean to ‘give God the depths of your heart?’ It’s actually an easy concept; to give God your heart…or is it? Perhaps it’s more difficult than we might think. The concept of giving God something that is already His is easy. But can I just say ‘my heart belongs to God’ or is there more to it? A closer look at Romans 8 tells us how God should impact the depths of our lives, “However, you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.”
When we let the Spirit control every aspect of our lives, you find your behavior is different from the world. When God has your heart, your words and actions are unique to godliness. The movies you watch and the jokes you tell (or listen to) are separate from others around you and reflect a Spirit of Christ rather than the world. Ask yourself this simple question, “Is Christ a permanent part of my life, or do I treat Him like a temporary guest?” Galatians 2:20 (a youth camp song from 30 plus years ago) could be your baseline; ‘I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.’
So how do you know if your worship is passionate or if it’s routine…perhaps even rehearsed? Christ tells us how we determine if someone is genuine or putting on front when He warns about ‘false prophets’ in Matthew 7. His warning is directed toward false teachers, but it can help us understand the heart as well; “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits…every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.” When we are baptized into Christ and walk the life of a Christian, we come closer to sincere, passionate worship. But realize, it’s not a one and done deal. I must constantly work on keeping my heart right with God. Just because I KNOW what to do, doesn’t mean I’ll always do it. We can have more passion in our worship if we are willing to give Him more than just a song. When we allow the Spirit to dwell in our lives, and live daily for Christ…we’ll begin to understand how we can have passion in our worship!