24 Jan What are you full of?
“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Luke 6:45 NIVUK
When we speak of true, sincere praise, we’re not talking about something which is forced or merely a show (for others’ or even our own benefit), but rather an overflow of the heart. This means you cannot really honour God properly while harbouring negative or bitter thoughts within, or by ruminating on other stresses or worries.
And it’s not just worship that requires an open attitude. In the same way, a good relationship with God and communion with the Spirit requires constant refreshing and renewing of the mind, which only God can bring.
Therefore, praise and worship must be an active choice in our daily lives. We need to seek God’s grace and mercies every day. We need to seek renewal from Him. We need to develop a closeness to Him that makes comunication with Him and worship of Him, effortless.
Sounds simple right? If only it always felt that easy! Typing this out is a lot more effortless than doing it sometimes.
So here’s what might help: did you know that sacrificial praise has the power to transform you? It can uplift you when you choose to let go of the negativity and let the presence of God in. And there, He can transform your heart.
Praise is a two-way street. Whilst we have responsibilities to ensure that we enter into praise with a humble sincere attitude, God promises that He will always inhabit our praises, and we know that where His presence dwells, there is the opportunity for growth and transformation.
Finally, sometimes we can have superficial or selfish motives when we worship God. It’s surprisingly easy to get carried away with the performance aspect of the act of worship (e.g. How good your singing voice is, your creative or artistic talents, or your own achievements) that we can forget the reason for it in the first place! Praise and worship must always be 100% about God. Nothing else. Yes, you can strive for excellence in it, but the moment that becomes your main focus, you need to recognise it and reconnect with God. Remember God listens to the quality of your heart, not the quality of your voice!
So I challenge you now, and every time you enter into a time of praise and worship: what is your heart full of? Is it full of me, me, me? Is it full of the world and all its negativity, or is it full of joy, gratitude and love? Let your mouth, mind and spirit speak of only these things when you glorify God. And I really encourage you too seek out prayer if this is something you struggle with a lot, but start with the verse below.
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord , my Rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14 NIVUK
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