Fall in Love with Jesus through Worship

Written by Allison Erlewine

What comes to mind when you think of the word “worship”? For me, I think of Sunday mornings at church. I think of people standing in rows of church pews or chairs with their arms lifted high, praising the name of Jesus. I think of slow hymns or upbeat contemporary music, both of which calm my soul. 

This type of worship – the kind when people gather and sing together in community – is a common practice in churches and is probably what comes to mind for most people. There is so much power and importance in gathering together in church to worship and learn about God. The Bible even calls us to meet together as a church (Hebrews 10:25). 

But throughout my childhood and even into early adulthood, I thought that worship fit solely into the box of what I just described – singing in a church pew. It wasn’t until later on that I realized that worship doesn’t fit into a box at all…it actually fits into many different boxes! There are multiple ways to worship, and multiple settings to choose from. 

In addition to the traditional form of worship in a church setting, private worship is important too. Private worship is exactly what it sounds like – it’s when you worship God in private. With busy daily schedules, sometimes it is so easy to forget that we are always in the presence of God – not just when we are in church! And because of that blessing, we can worship Him anywhere!

Let’s think about what that might look like in your life. Is there somewhere that you feel God’s presence the most? Is it when you’re hiking on your favorite trail at sunset? Is it when you’re taking a long, hot shower at the end of the day? What about when you’re cooking dinner and the perfect song starts to play over your speaker? Make no mistake that God is always with you (Matthew 28:20), but wherever you feel Him the most is a great place to start when you’re tuning in to worship Him in private.

Let’s take a look at what the definition of worship is. A simple Google search of the Biblical definition of worship tells us that it is “the act of showing honor and devotion to God”. Worship is any form of showing respect for Him. Often we think of worship as singing songs of praise, and that is definitely one way to do it! But guess what? Worship can also be done through words and actions, too. 

My husband is not big on singing, especially in front of others. I don’t think I heard him sing until our daughter was old enough to beg him to! One day we were looking over a handout that we were given about different forms of worship, and he really resonated with one way in particular – spending time outdoors and meditating in God’s creation. He loves to fish, and he spends a lot of early mornings by a local reservoir before the busyness of the day breaks the silence. It is in that time that he meditates and reflects, and worships God for all He has done. 

For me, I enjoy privately worshipping through giving thanks. I often meditate on God’s blessings in my life through journaling or playing soft music that reminds me of His goodness. Sometimes I even call or meet up with a friend to talk about what God is doing in our lives and to give Him praise. 

Worshipping fills up my cup. It is a way to reconnect with God throughout the day. When things feel overwhelming, it helps me find solid ground and a breath of fresh air. When life feels uncertain, it’s a way for me to be reminded of the hope He brings. It is in worship that He shows me his unwavering love, grace, mercy, and faithfulness. The peace and solitude of worship draws us close to Him and allows us the opportunity to fall in love with His presence. 

You may be wondering what other ways there are to worship – and thankfully you don’t have to pick just one! Here are some common ways to worship:

• Singing/dancing
• Obedience to God
• Giving thanks
• Meditating/Reflecting
• Tithes and Offering
• Rejoicing
• Seeking His presence
• Praying

While this list is certainly not exhaustive, I’m so thankful that God’s presence and the ability to worship Him is not confined. I encourage you to seek out one way to worship God this week. Do any of these ways resonate with you?