Christian Daily | Christians’ deepest level of worship comes amidst pain, says Pastor Rick Warren

Christians reach the deepest level of worship when they are able to praise God amidst their pain, trials and other unpleasant circumstances, according to Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church.

In a devotional entry published on his website on May 1, Pastor Warren said worship comes easy when Christians are in a good place and when God is blessing them with good things. However, there are times when God is silent and seems far away from his people, just like the situation described in Isaiah 8:17.

During times of trial and temptation, loving and worshipping God may become difficult. However, it is during these times when Christians’ relationship with the Lord is tested to make it grow.

Pastor Warren says Christians reach the deepest level of worship when they are able to trust God and surrender to him, even though they do not feel close to him. This level involves the ability to thank the Lord even when one goes through difficult trials.

The book of Psalms is replete with King David’s complaints of God’s silence and apparent distance. St. John of the Cross described such situations as “the dark night of the soul,” while A.W. Tozer calls them “the ministry of the night.”

Despite his frequent questioning and complaining, God calls David “a man after my own heart.” The Lord has not really abandoned David, and neither will He do that to his children because He has promised never to leave them.

In an article published on March 2, The Christian Post lists down a few wrong notions about worship. One of them is that worship is all about how God meets man’s needs. While it is true that people find comfort in God’s presence, worship is not really about getting something from the Lord but about giving something to Him.

Another wrong notion about worship is that it is just all about the song. The Post reminds Christians that worship is more than a song but is a lifestyle. It is all about continuously glorifying God everywhere and every time, even though the music has already ended.