Worship is not just what we do at a weekly church gathering. It’s not a genre of music we hear on a radio station. It’s a way of life.

I remember when I first started attending church like it was yesterday. No matter where I went, all of the services started the same: with singing. This time of singing is what we call “a time of worship.” I didn’t know much about denominations or church culture, but it wasn’t hard to notice how different each church was from the last. Some churches had one guy leading the room on an acoustic guitar, while others had a full band. Some had big choirs and orchestras, and some sang with no instruments at all! It’s true that we worship by singing to God, but that’s not the only way we worship the Lord. It took me a little while after I came to know Jesus to fully understand that worship is not just what we do at a weekly church gathering. It’s not a genre of music we hear on a radio station. It’s actually a way of life.

Choosing the Jesus Way 
The first lesson for me was a very personal one. I received a not-so-nice voicemail from someone, and I’m pretty sure I had smoke coming out of my ears as I was listening to this person chew me out for not answering their phone call. I had probably been saved for about two years, and I didn’t have a lot of practice handling conflict on this side of the cross, so I called back fully prepared to light this person up as soon as they answered the phone. Thankfully, I got their voicemail. I hung up the phone and immediately felt the presence of the Lord in my car. He asked, “You like to worship?” I responded, “YES!” Then I heard the Lord say, “Choose to now.” I didn’t know much, but I knew that God wasn’t asking me to burst into song. He was inviting me to choose the Jesus way. In Matthew 5:38-39, Jesus says this:

“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.”

Revenge is an easy response, but turning the other cheek? That’s not natural, and that’s the point. It’s worship. The person called me back and I apologized for missing their call. They carried on conversation like normal and never brought up the voicemail, and neither did I. It was really hard for me because I had a lot of pride rise up as I wondered if they thought they won – until I realized God did. We should really say thank you when conflicts come up and people just “people” all over the place. Because when we get an opportunity to choose the Jesus way, we are getting a chance to choose to worship.

Reading The Word
One of my favorite worship stories in the Bible is found in the book of Nehemiah. Chapter 8 says the Israelites all gathered in town to listen to Ezra read from the book of the law of Moses. The scripture says he read from sunrise until noon! That’s six hours of reading God’s Word. But what I love even more is their response in verses 5 and 6. Check this out: 

“Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, ‘Amen! Amen!’ Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”

Isn’t that incredible? There wasn’t a single instrument being played or song being sung. The Word of God was OPENED UP and the people responded by standing to their feet, lifting their hands and bowing down with their faces to the ground. The chapter goes on to say that they wept as they listened. This is such a holy moment. I see in this scripture that we don’t have to sing to worship, but there is outward action involved. These actions are what it can look like on the outside when you’re completely undone by the presence of God on the inside. It’s what it looks like when we give worth-ship to God. Sometimes it’s coupled with singing, sometimes it’s not.

When It’s Costly
I believe a lot of us have experienced the kind of worship that costs us something. The kind that comes out of your bones and can’t be put into words. The kind that looks like showing up when you least feel like it. The book of Job is one that the Holy Spirit brings up often, thinking through the lens of worship that’s costly. I’m reminded of how Job responded when he received the most horrific news anyone could ever hear: every farm hand, every shepherd, and every one of his children had just been killed. All of the livestock were dead or had been stolen. He had just lost everything. This is Job’s response in chapter 1:20-21:

“Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, ‘I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!'”

Job’s worship in this moment has shaped mine through a lot of really difficult seasons in my life. Job knew trauma and heartbreak. He knew the maker and sustainer of life, and he knew that God was worthy of praise even in the suffering. He chose worship when he didn’t have to.

I don’t know where you find yourself today as a follower of Jesus, but I hope that you find refuge in the truth of the gospel of Jesus. We are a people of hope because of the life, death, and the resurrection of Jesus, which proves that now isn’t all there is. That means your current sufferings are nothing compared to the glory that is to come. When you choose the Jesus way in conflict, conversation, marriage, friendships, and how you do your job, you’re choosing worship. When you open up your Bible, you’re choosing worship. When you make your soul sing when you really just want to shake your fist at the sky, you’re choosing worship. Our circumstances are constantly changing – but we worship a God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever. One who is worthy of our worship. Every minute of every day.