God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. JOHN 4:24 

Growing up, I went through the motions when I went to church. Each week was pretty similar, and I didn’t feel anything deep in my spirit when we’d sing hymns for the worship part of our service. When I was a teen, I got my first study Bible from church when I had confirmation. Each day before bed, I’d flip to a random page, and it was just what I needed to hear to get me through those teenage years. It wasn’t until college that my roommates and I found a different church where my spirit was truly moved during worship. We sang songs that I understood the words to, and I was moved. 

This is when I discovered active worship versus going through the motions. We learn in John 4:24 that we must worship in spirit and in truth. Now, this looks different for everyone. My extended family loves the hymns; they run deep in their souls and bring them joy in worship. But I needed something different. 

Where I attend church now, worship is half of the service time. We sing many songs even before getting into the message. Sometimes, as we worship, it can be easy to allow our minds to begin to wander, but what if we really focused on the Lord? Picturing Jesus as I worship makes so much of a difference for me—it helps me to worship in spirit and truth, making worship more meaningful. For my husband, it’s different. He focuses on the words that are being sung and the truth behind them. We see others around us who worship in all other kinds of ways. They might lift their hands or hold them in front of them, as if to extend their worship to the One above. 

No matter what our preference is in worship, we are all called to worship in spirit and in truth. Some people have never worshipped before and aren’t sure what that’s like. Others are the way I was growing up, going to church but just going through the motions. When we find the right church home for us, however, we know. It feels different than it ever has before, a place where we feel comfortable and experience the presence of God. 

GO FOR IT! 

What does worship look like for you? What helps you remain focused on God during that time? It is hard to block out distractions and keep your attention on God, but when you do, you’re doing what we’re called to do—to worship in spirit and in truth! 

This is an excerpt from Go For It: Boldly Live the Life God Created For You by Melissa Horvath – a new devotional journal now available for pre-order on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.