Hope Darst on Worship

“Worship is not songs,” Hope Darst, Christian worship leader, musician and songwriter said. “That’s one expression, but worship is a life completely surrendered to honoring God in every single thing that we do.”

And [Jesus] said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
– Luke 9:23 ESV

In Jesus’ day, “to take up your cross” meant to carry your cross to the place where you would be crucified and die. With this word picture, Jesus presented a clear description of what it meant to live completely surrendered to Him.

Worship means to put aside your own selfish desires, to truly understand you belong to Him and live each day to serve His purpose.

Worship is a life completely surrendered to honoring God in everything you do.

Hope said, “I don’t want to stand before God and say, ‘I wrote you all of these songs, but in my actual life, I didn’t know how to worship you.’’’ She said, “Worship is an awareness. I’m waking up daily, saying ‘I’m going to do the best that I know how, and You put people around me to help me along the way.’”

Worship – denying yourself and following Christ every day – is a constant decision to choose His will and His way over your own thoughts and plans.

Today’s One Thing
Do you think about your relationship with God in terms of what He can do for you more than in what you can do for Him? Are you willing to deny your wants in order to achieve His purpose? Have a serious conversation with the Father today and ask the Holy Spirit to help you live today fully surrendered to Him.

Go Deeper

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