Worship Isn’t a Show - It’s Surrender

We have all been there. The music starts. The atmosphere builds. Hands are raised. Voices rise in harmony. It’s beautiful, emotional, even moving - and yet, somewhere deep inside, it still feels...empty.

Could it be that somewhere along the way, we’ve mistaken worship for music? That we’ve learned to recognize the sound of church, but forgotten how to recognize the presence of the Spirit?

In John 4:24, Jesus tells us that true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth. He did not say “in sound” or “in song” - He said in Spirit. Worship that reaches heaven doesn’t begin on the stage. It begins in the heart.

We live in a culture that loves performance. We evaluate by excellence, by how polished or powerful something feels. And sometimes, without even realizing it, that mindset creeps into the church. The Holy Spirit, however, is not drawn to performance. He’s drawn to surrender.

In Romans 12:1, Paul urges us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is our true and proper worship. True worship has always required more than melody. It requires a life laid down.

So what does that look like...?

Surrender is a state of the soul. It’s not found in the loudest praise or the most passionate chorus. It’s found when we let go of control. When we quiet our striving. When we stop trying to impress God with our performance and simply bring Him our honest, open, imperfect selves.

It’s in that space that the Holy Spirit moves. Worship becomes more than a song. It becomes a meeting.

When our hearts truly bow, the Spirit draws near. And when He draws near, everything changes.

So as Sunday approaches, take a moment to prepare not just your voice, but your heart. Don’t just plan to sing.

Surrender.