Where is Our Mind During Worship?

There is no other way to say it: what we do during the week affects us during times of worship. We can talk all we want about how we should push the things of this world aside while we worship, but it is impossible to not let those things affect us at least a little bit. Yes, we should keep our minds focused, but I want us to see that what we are feeding ourselves throughout the week really does affect us more deeply during worship than we might want to admit.

Take one example, and it is one that I have to fight quite often. I am a fan of the world of sports. Though I do not watch anywhere near as many games as I used to, I still enjoy keeping up with a few sports and I look forward to windows of time when I can see at least part of a game. (For example, though I have kept up with the now-winding down baseball season all year, I literally have not watched a single game from first to last pitch.)

But can those games not affect my worship? If you are a fan of sports–or of a particular team–just consider these questions:

If your team loses on Friday night or Saturday, do you find that you are “down” on Sunday morning, even though you are going to be in the presence of the Almighty?

When there is even a short silence in the service–or when the preacher may not quite be on his game–do you find yourself running back through the previous week’s highlight reel in your mind?

Do you excuse staying up really late on Saturday night, just because it’s your favorite team (or sport), even if it means you will be really tired as you come to worship on Sunday?

Now, again, I am not trying to pick on sports. I am simply using that as an example, because it is one that I have had to fight. Thankfully, though I still have to fight these things, I have grown enough to where it is not as big of a temptation to put sports ahead of worship.

But, in reality, it could be anything. Maybe, for you, it is a television series. Maybe it is the time you’ve had shopping at a favorite store. Maybe it is remembering the websites you have visited during the week.

Do these things not come into our minds during worship? If we are honest, we have to admit they do.

So, do we just give those things up completely? Well, let’s be honest. The answer could be “yes,” if that what it takes to put God first.

But, I don’t think most of us would have to give these things up totally. However, could we not cut back on some of those things and fill more of our time with things that fill our hearts and minds with what will prepare us for entering the presence of God in worship?

Instead of watching another show, could we not read our Bible for a few minutes on Saturday?

Instead of listening to the radio on the drive to worship, could we not listen to worship songs that center our minds on praising God?

Instead of spending Saturday night watching one more game, could we not sing or pray as a family for a few minutes?

Trust me, no matter how much you do these things, you will still have to fight the temptation to think of other things during worship. That is never going to change.

That said, the fight will be much easier, because so much of your thinking will already be focused on God, and you will have prepared your mind for how awesome it is to be in the presence of God.

Why not try it this weekend?

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AUTHOR: Adam Faughn