Anxiety and stress are ravaging our society. We, as a society, spend hours daily staring at screens–computers, televisions, mobile devices–you get the idea. We live in turmoil with restless souls. We search for something to fill the emptiness inside us, because we don't know where to turn next.
Let's face it, our phones have failed us. They've never given us the satisfaction we're looking for. Yet we keep coming back to them every day, hoping to find that special "something." Ultimately, all we're given is an illusion. We need something to satisfy our souls, so we look for that "something" in all the wrong places.
So, where can we turn or what can we turn to? Who, or what, can carry the burdens that weigh us down? Spoiler alert: Jesus can. He's capable of handling every problem we face. And worshipping Him is an invitation into His presence. It's an invitation to find true satisfaction. And it's an invitation that's open to you and me today.
I've found that the only way to fill the deep longing in my soul is through worship. And the only way I can combat worry and anxiety is through worship. Over the years, we've used the term "worship" to simply describe what we do every Sunday before the pastor comes out to speak.
We sing some songs, hear a message, then we go home. Worship is just something we do once a week, isn't it? Well, it doesn't have to be. We can choose to "worship" at church once a week, or we can turn it into a lifestyle. In fact, the only way we can find peace and satisfaction is through worship.
Worship is something we choose to do. And it's something we need to do every hour of every day. I don't mean walking around your house singing at the top of your lungs every second (let's be honest, your family probably wouldn't appreciate that).
Worship is so much more than a song. Worship might look like dropping to your knees at two in the morning, searching for God when it feels like nothing makes sense. Worship might even look like staring at the ocean, deeply aware of the one who made the wind and the waves. There are so many ways we can worship if we can just slow down long enough to hear God's voice and express our gratitude for who He is.
Truly, worship is a beautiful thing. And it's something that we don't talk about enough. So we're going to talk about it today. I'll be highlighting three songs that capture this posture of worship. And how we can apply it to our everyday life. In the words of author and pastor Louie Giglio, "Worship God and invite light into the dark. It will lead you." Today, we're going to let some light into the dark. And, hopefully, you'll be able to find peace and freedom through it.
Natalie Grant, "My Weapon"
Before we can even talk about worship, there's a key factor that we can't miss. Worship is a weapon against the enemy. It's an awareness of who God is, and it's a tool that we can use to fight the lies of the devil.
I saw a post on Facebook recently from Louie Giglio (yes, I'm quoting him again), and he said, "Worship and worry cannot occupy the same space; they both can't fill our mouths at the same time. One always displaces the other." This is a truth that I've found in my own life. There's no possible way worry can get through when we're truly with the Savior.
When our minds are flooded with stress and fear, it's hard to make room for anything else. But when everything is stripped away, and it's just us and God–when we're standing in His presence and worshipping Him–fear can't stay. It has to flee. Why? Because, as we addressed earlier, worship is a weapon. The enemy can't stand to hear God exalted. Worship is how we can take back our freedom.
Worship leads us back to the one our soul truly wants. It leads us into what's really satisfying. That's what music veteran Natalie Grant's song "My Weapon" is all about. It's a beautiful music and it's an invitation to fight fear and depression with worship. It might not seem like it at the moment, but worship has more power than we know.
The song's chorus goes, "My worship opens up the heavens/Crushing every stronghold/When I speak Your name." Praising Jesus isn't just something we should do. It's something we need to do if we want to crush the lies of the enemy.
There have been several times in my life when I've had to combat the lies of the enemy with worship. I remember not too long ago having a panic attack late at night. And God brought to mind the words of a worship song. It didn't bring immediate peace, but it did bring my mind back to Jesus. And that's the key to this whole thing.
When we make worship our constant go-to, over time, our hearts will begin to run to Jesus instead of quick fixes. It's easy to succumb to our problems and try to look for quick solutions. Instead, we can choose to surrender and worship, despite our circumstances. It's a weapon, and it's one that we need to utilize.
"Your presence is my greatest weapon/Pushing back the darkness/Breaking every chain."
Brandon Lake, "Gratitude"
During this holiday season, we talk about thankfulness and gratitude a lot. But it's something we need to have in every season, not just in November. The words "praise," "thanks," and "thanksgiving," among others, are used over 100 times in the Bible. So, it's something essential that we need to practice often. Gratitude and worship go hand-in-hand. Both are a response to the greatness of God. And both are something that we need to do in every season of life.
"So I throw up my hands/And praise You again and again/'Cause all that I have is a hallelujah/Hallelujah/And I know it's not much/But I've nothing else fit for a King/Except for a heart singing hallelujah/Hallelujah." That's the chorus of contemporary artist Brandon Lake's song "Gratitude" (and it says so much).
For one thing, it shows us that gratitude and worship are something we have inside us even when it feels like there's nothing else left. And it also proves that our simple "hallelujah" is enough for God. It's not much, but it's enough. When everything else is upside down, we can sing "hallelujah" with what's left inside us. It's a beautiful, raw picture of worship--even in our bleakest hour.
King David is the perfect example of praising God even when everything around him was chaos. He went through a lot of trials in his life. At times, he felt like his enemies were surrounding him. There were probably a lot of times where he felt like the darkness of his problems was closing in on him. But time and time again, he chose to worship. Right where he was, and right in the middle of his darkness, he would choose to fix his eyes on God and praise Him.
When David was running from Saul, he said in Psalm 59:17 (NIV), "You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely." David was at one of the lowest points of his life, yet he still chose to have gratitude and praise God even through his weaknesses.
Our deepest, darkest moments shouldn't bring us farther away from God. Instead, they should usher us into the presence of God. When we're in the middle of anxiety, we need to fall on our knees. When we're in a season of grief, we need to fall on our knees. Whatever we're going through, having an attitude of awe and adoration for God is going to make a huge difference. Having gratitude even in the bleakest circumstances is something that God admires. Gratitude takes our eyes off of our situation and onto God, the one who's in control and the one who's worthy of all our praise.
"So come on, my soul/Oh, don't you get shy on me/Lift up your song/'Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs/Get up and praise the Lord."
Passion, "Praise Him"
Psalm 150:6 (NIV) says, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." That verse doesn't put any limits on who can or can't worship. It says "let everything that has breath praise the Lord." It doesn't matter how old you are, what your background is, or where you've come from. You can praise God. You can worship Him whenever and wherever.
From church services to dorm rooms, you can praise God right where you're at. Like we talked about earlier, your worship doesn't have to be complicated. It could just be a simple "hallelujah." The important thing about worship is having recognition and awe for the one you're praising.
I think it's easy for us to fall into the idea of thinking that worship has to be a show or a performance. It's much simpler than that. We don't have to be talented singers or be in the band at church to worship God. It starts right where we're at. Right here, and right now, you can choose to praise. In both the good times and the bad times, choose worship. God doesn't want a performance, He just wants your heart and full attention.
Passion's song "Praise Him" is a simple but powerful anthem of praise. With the chorus being, "Come on and praise Him/Praise Him, Praise the Lord," the song is an invitation to praise God for who He is. He's worthy of all our praise. Wherever you're at today, take some time to show Him your gratitude and praise. He's the only one who can truly satisfy our hearts and bring us peace.
"We could sing a thousand songs it would only be a start/Our worship like a river, ever-flowing to Your heart/Eternity will echo with the songs of the redeemed/So come on and praise Him, come on and praise Him."
Grace Chaves has been a fan of all things Christian music since 2016. She is NRT's news editor, and one of NRT's youngest writers. Homeschooled, Grace is an author, loves Jesus, concerts, and road trips.
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