Have you ever met an eternal optimist? They are incredibly refreshing. Idealists. Joyful. Happy. Content. High-Spirited. Comforting. Just typing those words brings a smile.
I know a couple. They can be unequivocally draining when all I want to do is sit and sulk, but I can’t help but be desperate for their perspective. Their energy. Their optimism.
Like others of you, I like to be in control of things. I like my ducks in a row. I don’t sway much to the right or left because too much swaying could cause an unbalanced situation, and we all know what happens when controlling people become “unbalanced”.
I like to think I’m optimistic…when my plans call for sunshine. But really, if rain clouds are simply in the cards, it’s time to be real folks – get a reality check. Buckle down and get your rain boots on! And then, conveniently, in the middle of my teeth-clenched “grin and bear it” “hunker down” and “brave the storm” face I so bravely and fiercely display, I’ll catch the occasional glimpse of that darn optimist, in their own “storm”, which is raining much harder than mine, and they’re just smiling and joyful and running circles around me. They call out to me that “the sunshine is coming!!” as rain pours down our faces and all I really want to do is give them a swift kick to the you know what with the mud-caked boots I’ve been sporting.
But you know what the real difference is between the optimist and myself? Worship.
Don’t get me wrong, the self-perceived realist worships God, too. But the eternal optimist just gets it and SHOWS it. They understand that God is in control and they are beyond thankful for that. They trust His character and His plan implicitly and understand His goodness. That whatever storm or sun He brings, He is good AND it’s for our good. They believe in His goodness and in His love, and every moment of everyday their worship is infectious. It infiltrates all of our senses and we are refreshed by the aroma of Christ they so easily spread as they go about their sun or storm. They praise God for the small things and the big things, and the hard things, and the good things. Their worship has become their lifestyle.
With every piece of your body, mind, and soul
you CAN worship God in all things at all times.
Do you?
Ah… That’s it.
Worship as a lifestyle.
It’s not just something we do when we sing on Sundays, or write in our journals in the mornings. It’s not just when we pray, or serve, or exercise. It’s in every single thing we do! Worship is a lifestyle. It’s what you think and say and do. With every piece of your body, mind, and soul you CAN worship God in all things at all times.
Do you?
Our purpose while on Earth is to bring glory to God in all areas of our lives, and one of the ways we do this is through worship. We worship God most when He is our treasure, and as Jen Ratzlaff so eloquently penned, “How can you love what you do not know?”. Meaning, in order to make Christ your treasure, you must first prioritize time with Him.
Spending time worshipping Christ can look very different to each person. It could range from in depth theological study with Logos software and your study buddy C.S. Lewis, to sitting alone in a room with no books, pen, paper, only you and God, in silence. Others of you worship God at the feet of other people – serving, helping, ministering, or even just being around a table with friends sharing life.
With these images and more in your mind, think about why you desire to be in communion with God.
Now stop and think about why you don’t.
There are about a thousand different things that I make my treasure before Christ, and chances are I’m not alone. We make other things more of a priority, taking Christ and His blessings for granted. And by doing so, we lose our hearts for worship. We become embittered, sad, controlling, discontent, and we rob ourselves of His joy that has already been made complete in us.
At the end of the day,
it’s not about how externally happy
or joyful you appear to others,
it’s about what’s going on in your heart.
At the end of the day, it’s not about how externally happy or joyful you appear to others, (that’s more about natural giftedness and unique temperaments), it’s about what’s going on in your heart. What is your attitude like? What does your heart, mind, soul dwell on? Are you discontent because things are “out of control”, pessimistic because of your lack of trust, or lost hope because of lost vision?
So I admit that I’m a realist. And although I’m not sure I’ll ever change temperaments, I believe I can worship God as wholly and fully as those optimists I have in my life! It may not look the same externally, but my heart and soul can sing the same tune.
So…perhaps that makes me an idealist? 🙂
Lord, give us a heart of worship. Give us a mind of worship. Give us a soul of worship. That as we trench through storms or bask in sunshine, that we would have joy and that Your praise would be on our lips! Give us the sense of urgency to lay down control. To lay down the treasures we have exalted in our own lives, and help us walk in a manner that brings praise and worship to You so that you would be glorified as you so sufficiently and necessarily deserve.
How do you decrease, or eliminate those things from your lifestyle that deter you from spending time in worship with Him? How can you make worship a lifestyle?
Alongside you,
This article has been republished from SelfTalktheGospel.com, with permission.