Worship as a Lifestyle
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” - Romans 12:1
Worship is often given a time and place; sometimes we forget that God is with us outside our prayer time and Church services. In fact, between these times when we feel close to God, we can easily forget the promises we’ve made to both Him and ourselves.
Whether we fall victim to buying into the latest trend or slack on our work for doom-scrolling, it’s incredibly easy to be influenced out of living for your best self. And when you aren’t walking with faith in yourself, it’s much harder to feel spiritually fulfilled.
The problem isn’t that you’re doing something wrong, or you’ve fallen out of God’s favor for bad behavior. After all, He is known for his unthinkable forgiveness. It’s easy to get distracted by the constant buzz around us. Instead of fitting God into our busy schedule, we have a much easier solution. With every action we take, word we speak, and task we complete, we walk with God beside us.
As you drink your morning coffee, tell God you’re grateful for another day. Before you eat, remind yourself that He provided this meal. When you’re studying or working, give it your best effort, knowing that He’s supporting you. Build your relationship with God as you build your future; incorporating Him into your life, and you’ll experience His love more than ever before.
This doesn’t mean you have to be one hundred percent perfect all the time. We all know that isn’t possible. But when you encounter a situation where you can do what’s easy or what’s good, know that He is there with you. Doing things in Christ’s nature goes further than just being nice to the people around you; it’s about radically accepting and loving everyone, no matter who they are.
How many times have you wasted your precious energy wishing bad things on a person who hurt you? How often do you gossip about people you don’t like, or whose lifestyle you don’t agree with? In truth, it’s God’s judgment, not ours, that has the final say. All we do is waste time, discussing other people’s lives, instead of following God’s word and focusing on our own problems.
That’s also not to say you have to be friends with people you don’t like. Simply choose not to spend time with people who you find disagreeable. We often feel obliged to stay friends with people, but if they make you uncomfortable or upset, nothing is stopping you from letting them go with love and forgiveness. Curating your lifestyle around your morals and relationship with God takes time and a lot of thinking. Getting a prayer journal could be a good idea- to put all your beliefs and spiritual thoughts in one place while writing alongside the Lord.
One of the hardest parts of living in God’s image in today’s world is the constant consumption of literally everything- media, clothing, food, bad ideas. If you find yourself in God, you can center everything around Him, instead of hopping on the latest trend. Being mindful of God’s love and presence throughout your entire day is not only spiritually fulfilling, but it helps you create a sense of identity through Christ, making it easier for you to stick to your beliefs and use your resources wisely for Godly things. And yes, that includes money.
Striving to not harm yourself, others and the environment is an ideal way to offer yourself to God as a human sacrifice. You are only sacrificing what is worldly; in reality, your life will be so much richer when you turn to Him. In doing so, others will see that your God allows you to make a positive impact; you don’t even have to tell them about God’s incredible love because they’ll see it flowing through you.
Living life through God is more than dedicated prayer times, reading your Bible, and attending Church. There is a deep and interesting relationship between you and Him that you have the rest of your time to enjoy. Focus on the future, the one where you’re successful and surrounded by the same love you give. And trust God to give it to you while you devote yourself to Him.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Please stay by my side throughout every day, for the rest of my life. Guide me through the best choices, and actions in Your name, and how I can use my gifts to carry out Your word.
Allow me to bring you into my life fully; become a part of me that will stay strong and kind, helping me navigate difficult times with your everlasting love and peace.
Amen.