The Quiet Side of Worship (guest post)

guest post by Shiloh Cruz

What do you think of when you hear the word “worship”?

If I had to guess, you’re probably thinking about things like prayer, church services, maybe certain Christian songs or even baptisms. The “big churchy things,” if you will.

Those things certainly have their place—we’re commanded to pray and regularly meet with fellow Christians, and the sacraments of baptism and communion are central to our faith. These means of worship are important and should be priorities in our lives. And yet sometimes we can put far too much emphasis on those “big” things, to our own exhaustion and peril.

What about the “little things”? What about being grateful for the blessings God’s given you, being joyful when you’re overwhelmed with temptations to give into bitterness, and being content with where God’s placed you? What about the parts of our relationship with God that no one else sees?

Can those things be considered worship?

At the end of his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul gave these commands.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” — 1 Thess. 5:16-18 (NKJV)

Paul’s last exhortations to this church weren’t about how much money they should give to the poor or how long their church service should be. He reminded them to pay just as much attention to their inward relationship with God, not just their outward spiritual works.

Think about what Jesus told the disciples when they asked Him about prayer.

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” — Matthew 6:5-6 (NKJV)

God doesn’t enjoy our spiritual efforts just because they’re big and easy to notice—He wants them to come from our heart.

“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” — Micah 6:8 (NKJV)

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me… Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.” — Psalm 139: 7-10, 12 (NKJV)

God surrounds us every day, keeping track of our struggles, our strengths and weaknesses, and our triumphs—even and especially the little ones. Focusing on cultivating gratitude is just as honoring to God as going to serve on the mission field; surrendering our anxieties to Him is just as spiritual as preaching a sermon on Sunday morning. Even though it often feels like the opposite is true.

So while you make church services a priority and make a daily habit out of reading your Bible, don’t forget the quieter side of worship that deals with our emotions, attitudes, and inward thoughts that are invisible to everyone (except God). Our outward actions flow from those “little things”, and the Bible wouldn’t talk about them if they weren’t important.

He wants your heart, not just your actions.

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