In our chaotic times and culture, personal and family breakdown, disconnectiveness, disease, pandemics, confusion and loneliness, we find ourselves seeking out many ways to soothe our minds and hearts. Exercise, alcohol, drugs, pornography, therapy and just busyness try to fill the voids.
I would like to suggest another way that is often overlooked but very powerful remedy to the culture and internal strifes. Worship.
To worship the God Who created us, Who loves us unconditionally, Who yearns for connection with us, is to address all the issues mentioned above and anything else with which we struggle.
We are hardwired for worship. God in all His all-loving “knowing” invites us, actually commands us, to worship on a weekly basis at a bare minimum publicly in Mass. Worship on a daily basis or even minute basis, throughout our daily lives in prayer, thanksgiving and praise. Unfortunately, we often find ourselves setting worship on the back burner.
This is why you find “Praise Monday” feature on The Road of Faith each week. To at least set aside the beginning of many of our work weeks for praise and worship. To orient and reorient our souls toward God.
Worship gives us time to step outside and away from our busy schedule. Taking just a short time to worship gives us quiet time. This downtime is something we critically need to settle our minds and bodies from running at a constant high RPM.
Worship gives us time to think and for the Holy Spirit to remind us of what we need to focus upon. Broken or breaking relationships, others who may be lost or hurting whom we often blow right by without a consideration.
Worship takes us outside our negative. A negative mindset is like a cancer. It starts small and grows, eating away at the mind and soul until it brings death. Worship encourages gratitude, praise, and gives us a perspective. It helps us take our focus off of ‘woe is me’ and see God’s love and protection. All He is doing that is for our good.
Worship, because it focuses outside ourselves, helps us to recognize the “bigger picture” in which our lives are embedded.
Worship takes is out of isolation. It helps us know we are not alone. When we cultivate a relationship with God, we soon realize that He can comfort us better than anyone or anything. We see His love surpasses everything and is the only thing that can fill the hole within. Public worship in Mass brings us together as the community of God – as He intended is to be.
Cultivating a sense of worship through our day brings God into our daily lives with His love, perspective, protection and support as well as His merciful embrace and gaze.
How do you make time to worship?