Worship is a lifestyle you can enjoy anytime and anywhere. Approaching worship as a lifestyle will bring you into contact with wonder on a regular basis, as your worship connects you with God, the ultimate source of wonder.
The connection between worship and wonder is strong. When you encounter God’s wonder, you’ll naturally be inspired to celebrate God by worshiping him. Choosing to worship also leads you to experience wonder during the process of worshiping. So, worship and wonder fuel each other in a powerful cycle of inspiration.
Key Bible Verses about Worship
“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” – Psalm 95:6-7
“Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!” – Psalm 66:5
“Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” – Exodus 15:11
“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” – Psalm 100:2-4
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” – John 4:23-24
“They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty – and I will meditate on your wonderful works.” – Psalm 145:5
“For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.” – Psalm 96:4
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” – Psalm 139:14
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.” – Romans 12:1
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’” – Hebrews 12:28-29
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” – Psalm 150:6
“In a loud voice they were saying: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” – Revelation 5:12-13
Tips to Help You Discover Wonder by Enjoying Worship
Worship connects you with God, who is the source of all wonder. Use these tips to help you experience God’s wonder as you worship:
Focus on God’s presence. Seek to become more aware of God’s presence with you while you worship. Get rid of any other motives for worshiping (such as stress relief, entertainment, trying to convince God to give you what you want, or trying to impress others who are watching you). Approach God with pure motives, a clear mind, and an open heart.
Worship in spirit and truth. Engage your emotions in loving communication with God while focusing your thoughts on the truth about who God is. Don’t worry about the style of the worship service. Instead, aim to simply encounter God and respond to his love.
Express gratitude. God is constantly pouring blessings into your life – even during challenging circumstances. When you express gratitude for those blessings, you open doors for wonder to flow into your life. The Latin word “gratus” is the root of both the words “gratitude” and “grace” in English. You become full of grace when you choose to be grateful. In a state of gratitude, you can perceive the wonder of God’s work around you. What are you especially grateful for right now? Mention those specific blessings in prayer. Consider creating some rituals to celebrate evidence of God’s wondrous work in your life every day, such as writing a daily list of what you’re thankful for in a gratitude journal or discussing daily blessings with your family members at dinner together.
Give God praise. When you worship God through praise, God meets with you, and you feel awe from the wonder of noticing his presence. Psalm 22:3 declares that God inhabits the praises of his people. So, praise is a powerful way to welcome God and experience his wonder. God is worthy of your praise in any circumstances, because he is always there for you, offering love and wisdom.
Worship together in community. It’s important to worship together with other believers, because God has designed us all to be connected to him and each other in bonds of love. Revelation 7:9 mentions worship in heaven includes “a great multitude no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language”. When you worship in community here on earth, you’re preparing your soul to worship one day with the great multitude of believers standing before God’s heavenly throne.
Learn more in my book Wake Up to Wonder about experiencing God’s wonder through worship.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Boonyachoat
Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com, on Facebook, and on X/Twitter.