Praise and Worship – Not About Us

Praise and worship is not supposed to be an “experience” for the praiser and worshipper.

Yes, it can be a moving time of connecting and receiving from God. The Bible says, “God inhabits the praises of His people” (Psalm 22:3). When people have contact with God, they are changed. So, yes during praise and worship you can experience God. You can find peace, joy, healing, help, increased faith, and a whole host of other blessings that only God can give. It is what happens when one encounters God.

But that is not the point of praise and worship. Praise and worship is not about you. That bears repeating, especially in today’s contemporary, hip, relevant churches. Praise and worship is not about you.

The question to ask after praise and worship is not, “What did I get out of that?” The question to ask is, “God what did you get out of that?”

Praise and worship is God’s children singing songs to Him to thank Him for what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will do and to exalt Him for who He is. So, one shouldn’t be focused on what type of song is sung, or if the lights and smoke machine were in sync with the beat, or if the multi-media was effective. It shouldn’t make a difference what type of song is sung – an old hymn, the newest praise anthem, or anything in between.
And it shouldn’t make a difference if you “got anything out of the experience”. It isn’t designed for you. It is all about God.

The good news, God is so amazing, so loving, so graceful, that out of the abundance of who He is we can receive from Him during worship. Again, just being in His presence is enough to change us. But our goal during praise and worship is not us – it is Him. Only Him. Forever Him.