All Things
A year ago I drove across the country with two of my best friends to enjoy the sights and beauty of America. Our first stop was scheduled for a canyon called Horseshoe Bend, but our trip quickly turned into obstacle after obstacle. After a night of long driving, an overpriced roach motel, and countless wrong turns, we made it. The first moment we saw the canyon we had to sit down--all we could do was enjoy the sight. As soon as we made it through the night and saw Horseshoe Bend, the obstacles we previously encountered no longer mattered.
Worship looks a lot like my trip to Horseshoe Bend. Sometimes there are obstacles, storms, and circumstances that hinder our view of God. Life is hard, and in the midst of that, it seems impossible to worship, but the moment we remember that God is Holy, Worthy, and Glorious, we can sit down in the midst of our problems and enjoy Him. When we finally see Jesus for who He truly is, and understand how good He is, Worship happens.
Worship is a choice, and worship is a reaction.
Worship is when you fully recognize who God is and you respond. God has shown us who He is in Scripture so that we can react in worship. Sometimes though, it seems hard to see Him for who He really is. We know how wonderful He is, but we don’t always feel it.
How do we worship Him at all times like we are called to do? Sometimes our circumstances seem too dark to worship. Sometimes they seem too painful. How can we possibly worship Him in the hard times?
Recognize who He is and what He is doing in difficult moments.
We can hold fast to the truth that Faith can fuel our worship, and you don’t have to see clearly to have faith (Hebrews 11:1). God’s character is never changed by our circumstances.
God is working all things for our good (Romans 8:28). The use of the words, “all things,” in that verse means precisely what it seems...ALL THINGS. All moments in our life are being carefully governed by God for our ultimate good and joy--especially the the tough ones (2 Corinthians 4:17)!
Looking back, part of what made me appreciate how beautiful the sights of the trip were, was how hard the journey was. God is Glorious, and when we know that all parts of our journey are working to give us a higher capacity for joy in Him, we can react to all things in our life as an opportunity to worship!