One morning, while I was praying and worshiping the Lord, He spoke clearly to my heart. What He said was simple yet life-changing: “Tim, worship isn’t for My benefit.”
When the Lord speaks, He often says only a few words, but they carry great depth. As I paused to reflect, He added, “I am not ego-deprived.” That was all—but as I prayed and meditated, His meaning became clear.
I’ve always been a worshiper since the day I gave my life to Jesus. I’ve never stopped being thankful for His saving grace, and worship has always been my expression of love and gratitude. Scripture commands us to worship the Lord because He alone is worthy. Yet that morning, the Lord helped me see worship from a new perspective.
He said, “Worship isn’t for My benefit. It’s for yours.”
It suddenly made perfect sense. Worship was never meant to fill some divine need in God—it was meant to fill ours. Worship draws our hearts close to His presence and renews us from within.
Worship Strengthens the Weary
Life can feel like more than a plateful. As a man, husband, father, pastor, son, brother, and friend, I often feel the weight of many responsibilities. I want to be faithful in each one, but I’ve learned that outside of God, I simply can’t. I fall short without His help! Every time!
Jesus said in John 15:5 (NIV): “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
When I try to do it all in my own strength, I end up feeling overwhelmed or inadequate. God never designed us to live outside His grace. His grace is His supernatural help that empowers us to do all He’s called us to do—and do it well.
When we turn our hearts to worship, our focus shifts from our limitations to His unlimited strength. Worship invites His grace to flow. It fills us with the assurance that we are not alone, and that His power is working in and through us.
Psalm 46:1–3 (NIV) declares: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”
Even in life’s chaos, worship reminds us that God is near—our strength and refuge in every storm.
Worship Magnifies God and Shrinks Our Problems
Worship changes how we see things. When our hearts magnify the Lord, our problems begin to shrink. The light of His faithfulness and love replaces fear and anxiety with peace and confidence. That’s why the psalmist invites us in Psalm 34:3 (NIV): “Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.”
God isn’t egotistical. He doesn’t ask us to worship Him for Himself but for our benefit. Worship lifts our gaze from the troubles of life to the majesty of the One who holds all things together. As we do, His presence strengthens us from the inside out.
Psalm 95:6–7 (NIV) reminds us: “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.”
When we worship, we remember who He is—and who we are in Him. The One who created the heavens and earth watches over us daily.
Worship Brings Light and Strength
Worship places God on the throne of our hearts where He belongs. As we exalt His greatness, our fears diminish, faith rises, and His supernatural help flows. Psalm 89:15 (NLT) declares: “Happy are those who hear the joyful call to worship, for they will walk in the light of your presence, Lord.”
Worship brings us into that light—into His strength, peace, and joy. It’s in worship that we exchange our weakness for His power and our anxiety for His assurance.
That’s why the Lord said, “Tim, worship isn’t for My benefit. It’s for yours.” Worship renews the heart, restores perspective, and fills us with the inner strength to face whatever lies ahead—one step at a time.
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