When you hear the word worship, what’s the first thing that comes to mind?  Maybe you imagine a singing church congregation or people on their knees in prayer.  While these expressions are certainly important, true worship involves much more. Special, devoted times of fellowship with the Lord are vital, but what happens between those times?  Attending church every Sunday is wonderful, but what happens during the week? Are we worshiping God with our lifestyles?

Paul writes in Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship” (NIV).  Beyond singing songs or telling Jesus how much we love him, worship involves living a lifestyle that is holy and pleasing to God.  That means we can worship the Lord by giving our best effort at work or school.  We can worship God by treating others well.  In our speech, we can worship Jesus by replacing lies, gossip, and complaints with thanksgiving, help, and encouragement. Anything we do that glorifies God is beautiful worship to Him!

Of course, it’s easy to glorify God in good times, but it may not seem as easy when things are not so good.  However, we need to make worship such a part of our lifestyle that we carry it out despite our circumstances.  Take the psalmist David for example. As we read his writings, we see him on the roller coaster of life, facing both good times and bad.  However, his declaration remains the same.  He repeatedly proclaims, “I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart.”  How was David able to keep such a positive confession on the mountaintops and in the valleys?  Well, he had simply made a decision that he would not allow the circumstances of life to determine his level of praise.  He made this confession: “I will praise the Lord at all times.  I will constantly speak his praises” (Ps. 34:1, NLT).

Challenge yourself to carry that same attitude that you will bless the Lord at all times.  Whatever situation comes your way today, good or bad, see it as an opportunity to worship the Lord.  View everything you do as an act of worship to Him, and you will live a life that is holy and pleasing to God.