Worship: A Sacrifice of Praise



Okay, so I thought I was done with this article series on Worship, but it seems that God had different plans. And HE calls the shots! This may or may not be the final article in this series, we'll just have to wait and see. But please, open your heart and allow God to speak to you through this, because worship is a very important part of any Christian's life.
If you haven't yet read the first three articles in this series, I suggest you read them first before proceeding with this one.

Worship: More Than Just Singing??

Worship: Bringing Down The Walls

Worship: The Dangers of "Rock" Music



I’m sure you’ve heard the term used before -- a sacrifice of praise. But what exactly is that? A sacrifice implies the act of doing something that isn’t easy or fun. It’s usually something that you don’t want to do, but you do it anyway. It’s an offering of something precious. Do you ever just not feel like worshipping God, giving into His will, focusing on His greatness and worthiness, letting Him have ALL your trust, love, time, etc.? I think we’ve all been there, done that, at some point in our lives. At least I know I have! It is then that your worship and praise becomes a sacrifice. It’s not what you want to do; it’s not what you consider fun or enjoyable at the moment, and it’s not the easy thing to do. So you’re faced with a choice: do you do what you want to do, or what you know you need to do? Do you go by what you feel, or by what you know?

The sacrifice of praise is a very particular type of worship. It can easily become unacceptable and displeasing in God’s sight if it is offered with the wrong motives, intentions, or attitude. On the other hand, when offered properly, the sacrifice of worship is the most sincere form of showing God that you love Him and are devoted to Him in all circumstances. God loves a cheerful giver. Do you think that saying refers to giving of your money only? I think it applies to worship as much as, or perhaps more so than, anything monetary. If you’re going to sacrifice, you have to do it the right way. You must do it willingly, and not grudgingly; you can’t feel sorry for yourself or mourn the fact that you’re giving up your way for God’s way; and you have to do it for God and not anyone else. Finally, though it IS a sacrifice, this type of offering should be given with an attitude that suggests otherwise.

A true sacrifice of worship is NEVER the easy thing to do -- or else it wouldn’t even be a sacrifice. What makes it so hard? Plain and simple, it’s the flesh. Your flesh will give you one excuse after another as to why you shouldn’t have to worship God. *I’m to tired to go to youth group or church…too busy to read my Bible and pray…too depressed, sad, annoyed, angry, confused, etc. to worship God. I just don’t feel like it right now.* The list could go on and on. And often we fall right into the trap, allowing our flesh to have the final say, and putting God on hold. It takes determination, a sincere heart, and a faithful attitude to bring the sacrifice of praise to God. It takes strength and courage; but most of all you just have to have your mind made up that you are going to worship God in Spirit and Truth, not flesh and feelings. It’s the hard path, it’s a sacrifice, but the reward is unmatchable.

When you don’t feel like praising God, that’s when you should praise Him the most. Sometimes we reason that we don’t have the time to stop and focus completely on God for a while during a busy day. We’re already rushed as it is! We just don’t have the strength to do everything, so time alone with God is canceled. We forget that God IS our strength! We need to get our priorities straight and realize how important it really is that we be the worshippers God has called us to be. Everything else falls into place when that happens. Be determined; if your flesh wants to put off worshipping God, instead worship Him with more emphasis and effort. Be honest and sincere; tell God that you’re having trouble and don’t feel like bringing an offering of praise, but that you know it’s the right thing to do. Tell Him that you’re acting out of faith and trusting that He will give you the desire to praise Him the way you should. He will honor that and accept your sacrifice of praise, while also restoring your passion and hunger for His presence.

As I said earlier, the sacrifice of praise is a beautiful offering of love when given correctly. But let me warn you, if you are not sincere and you aren’t going to try -- if you don’t have the right attitude and you are “sacrificing” unwillingly, begrudgingly, or for the wrong reasons -- your “sacrifice” won’t be worth anything. So be true to God; He knows your motives and intentions anyway. And remember, God deserves our praise at all times. He’s always worthy, even when we don’t feel like worshipping Him. So praise Him with your whole being, all that you are, and I know you’ll be blessed as you bless God.

--Written by: Hannah Kelmis



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