A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of attending Matt Chandler's church in Flower Mound, Texas. This was not my first time visiting there and hopefully will not be my last. In my few visits, the Bible has been thoroughly preached, sung, and implemented. This particular message was so beautifully encouraging that I'd like to share a small part of with you. However, I know my retelling will be feeble in comparison to the real thing, which you can watch and listen to here. http://www.thevillagechurch.net/resources/sermons/...

If you're like me, when you hear someone say "worship" you tend to think of the singing portion of a service. While singing to the Lord is undoubtedly worship, it is not be limited to that. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says that, "Therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." This implies that worship is directly tied to every aspect of our lives and that we can indeed glorify God in all things. Another stereotype we often have regarding worship is that those most enthralled with God will look a certain way. You may think of hands lifted or loud "amen"s.

Chandler made this eye-opening statement, "The same worship service might have someone rejoicing and shouting and clapping and someone sitting and mourning and weeping. And it's not that one is what true worship is like and someday the weeper will join the dancer, but that the LORD sees both their hearts and says, 'This is worship'." While we rejoice knowing that one day we will worship our Creator without any trace of sorrow in Heaven, that does not mean we are without real heartache now.

While God commands us to praise Him with gladness and singing, there are also many passages affirming the mournful worshiper. After Job had lost everything he held dear including his children and wealth he did this, "Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said: 'Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.'In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong (Job 1:20-22)". Do you think God was sitting in heaven annoyed thinking he ought to be joyful? No! Psalm 34:18 tells us that, "The Lordis near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit". He hears and is near.

Chandler also said, "There's a type of woundedness that putting on some type of spirit-sprinkly face is offensive. There's a type of guttural deep worship that barely has the strength to lift up its head. There's a kind of worship that just sits and sobs. And according to the Scriptures we have an empathetic high priest...There's a kind of wounding that scars us in such a way that we'll carry those scars for the rest of our life."

Many people simply skip church for fear of falling apart. I have often found myself slipping out of worship services with tears streaming down my face to escape to somewhere no one will see. But Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us, "...let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching".

I think's it's imperative that we come together as one body sharing in the highs and lows of life. That's not easy. I know well that vulnerability is terrifying. But it's healing. "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you (1 Peter 5:5-6)". There is nothing wrong with an emotional response to the truth. You cannot perform for the One who actually knows what's going on.

We need to change our thinking about worship so that we see it as acknowledging what God is doing in our lives, rather than what we have to offer. Because when it comes down to it, we have very little to offer Him.

So whether you're shouting for joy with hands and head lifted high or you're unable to speak a word with your head low and tears streaming down your face, God knows your heart. He hears your cries. He loves you. And He is working in your life, whether you feel it or not. Worship isn't always a time of joy. We live in a world filled with heartache. Don't let that hinder you from worshiping our Creator.