This is the final post in a six part series on worship. Each post stands alone, but you can click here for post 1, post 2, post 3, post 4 and post 5.

…awe-inspiring and life giving

Some of the times I have felt most alive in my life have been during times of worship. When I think about those time which have propelled me forward in my Christian walk, worship has been key.

Worship creates those spaces for heaven to mingle with earth. There have been times when I have been aware of the presence of angels singing alongside us, when I have heard God’s voice clearly or when I have felt His enabling power rise up within me to equip me to do what I need to do. There have been times when I have felt faith rise, when I have been overflowing with gratitude and joy.

At other times, worship feels like hard work and it feels difficult to connect with God. What about those times? Worship isn’t just about feelings, but rather about a decision to honour the Almighty. But, I do believe, that in those times when it feels hard, there is the possibility to push through and receive life from times of worship. God does desire us to worship Him however we are feeling, but He also desires to give us life!

I can see two keys to connecting with God and receiving His life to the full:

1. Being yielded.

Some days I come to a time of worship distracted, tired and honestly, wishing I wasn’t there. My heart is not in the right place and it is tempting for it to stay that way. There are times I feel overwhelmed and discouraged and like the forces of darkness are doing everything to keep my mouth stuck shut.

In those moments I know I have to lay down my pride, lay aside my feelings and yield to Him. I have to offer him my worries, my fears and focus on Him, on how big and Almighty He is. I have to remind myself of how much God cares about my worries, but how He commands me to yield them to Him. That I have to take the first step in my heart, in singing out and as I do, He takes over and His Spirit then enables me to worship and fills me with life.

2. Being enabled.

One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is the Helper. He desires to help us to worship the Father. First we have to yield to God, and then the Holy Spirit desires to enable us.

As a child I was often told that in heaven we would be spending much of our time in worship to God. To be honest, based on my experience of musical worship, that would be okay for a little bit, but I could see myself getting bored pretty quick - especially if we are talking about eternity. But I had also read David’s declaration in Psalm 84: ‘Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere’ and I knew I was missing something.

Then I met the Holy Spirit - I invited Him to fill me and enable me and all of a sudden I felt His power and passion in times of worship and I had a taste of what it would be like to never leave God’s presence. Suddenly I had no doubt that worship for eternity there would never get dull!

So next time worship is not feeling life-giving or you feel reluctant to worship, ask yourself two questions:

1. Have you yielded all your distractions, fears, discouragements, weariness to God?

2. Have you asked the Holy Spirit to help you worship the Father and enable you?

This is the final blogpost in a 6 part series of reflections of worship.

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