What is Worship?

Worship is a topic that is widely taught on in the modern church. We love the "praise and worship" time in service, but then we're taught that worship isn't a song. We love letting the music invoke our emotions and raising our hands in surrender to our King, but then we're told that worship isn't a feeling.
We're told that worship is a display of our love for God, but it's so much more than that. We're being shown and taught two different things, which causes confusion of worship and it suffers in our day-to-day lives.

Picture Credit

Loving God is a given. Obviously we're going to love the One who gave us breath, however, showing that love and understanding how to show it is something completely different.

So what is worship?
Psalm 34:1-3 says, "I will praise the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. I will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad. Proclaim Yahweh’s greatness with me; let us exalt His name together." (HCSB)

Our hearts need to sing His praises without ceasing, and our prayer needs to be an ever constant conversation. We are to display God's love to the lost, less fortunate and in situations that try our patience.
Loving and worshiping God is like any other relationship. It needs searching and growing, and will often go through times of testing. If we neglect our relationship with Him, His voice will dim and we'll never grow. Worship of Him is ultimately our searching of His heart.

You might say, "I have open prayer conversation with God, and still, nothing changes. I don't feel any closer to Him."
Secret prayer is also required. God is jealous for us and desires to spend time with us.

Picture Credit

Matthew 6:6 says, "But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (HCSB)

God works best with our full attention and submission. What happens in our secret time can't happen during "praise & worship" at church. 
Secret prayer is when we get our 'ugly cry' on. It's where He completely restores and heals the broken hearted. Where He speaks to temptation and silences it. Where He puts away fears and insecurities. Where He shows you why He IS King.

If you don't have time set aside everyday to spend with Him, you need to do it. Open prayer conversation during the day is great, but distractions will ALWAYS be present during that time. Go into your secret place, shut out the world and spend time with the great I AM.

 One of my favorite versus is:
 Psalm 84:2, "I long and yearn for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh cry out for the living God." (HCSB)

Fashion a heart in me that is only Yours, that I might seek and find my God. I want to yearn...I want to search Your passion for me and others. I want to pour out my simple love over You that I might be able to express to You the millions of things I feel for Your Greatness.
I want to be a paint brush in the Artist's hand. I want You to write Your name on my life. Make me Your masterpiece. Give me a greater hunger and a greater passion for the call You have on my life. Your will is perfect, and my heart and flesh do cry out for the living God! You're the Creator and Sustainer, and the only one who understands this flawed heart. Remember me, Lord...I give my all for You.
Amen.