My Worship

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, in his address, “Worship,” discussed how we as Latter-day Saints can worship effectively. Studying his message, I asked myself, “What does my worship look like?” I will convey that in this post.

The four concepts Elder Christofferson discussed were:

1. The actions that constitute our worship
2. The attitudes and feelings that figure into our worship
3. The exclusivity of our worship
4. The need to emulate the Holy Beings that we worship

For this post, I will cover the following:

• What does my Sunday worship look like? Why is it different than other days?
• What does my Monday through Saturday worship look like?
• How do I intentionally praise and adore God in a way that transforms me?
• How do I try to follow the Savior’s perfect example?
• What are the things in my life that could take precedence over worship of the Father and the Son?
• How do I live so that others will know who I worship?

Sunday

Elder Christofferson states, “Worship on the Lord’s day is marked by a particular focus on the great atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.” Sunday, or the Lord’s day, is different for me. It’s not just attending church services. It’s about worshipping and remembering all that the Savior has done for me. During the ordinance of the Sacrament, I take time to reflect. I reflect on where I could be better and where Jesus has met me during the week. In that way, I’m both penitent and grateful.

Sunday allows me the opportunity to remember all that I learned during the week studying the scriptures. In the second hour of our services, I can review the notes I’ve made in my journal edition of the scriptures. I learn things because in that second hour, others share what they learned. New insights are gained, and I am renewed differently.

At home, I try to have spiritual experiences. I’ll admit that not everything I do on Sunday is church related. I like sports, but I’m not watching them all day long. As a family, we have our calendaring and sharing time. Sometimes we’ll watch a movie together. Other times, we will go our own ways. In those times, I have the opportunity to draw closer to Christ, work on my blog, catch up on scriptures I might have missed, or just relax.

Monday Through Saturday

Monday through Saturday include other areas of life that normally aren’t present on Sunday. For instance, I work five of those days. There are chores to do, functions for school, sports, exercise, reading, some show watching, etc. However, there is also time for worship.

A lot of my worship comes in scripture study. Whether that is morning scriptures with the family, reading the Come, Follow Me lesson, or listening to podcasts, I try to give time to worship. Daily prayer, even if it’s not formally kneeling, also helps. I try to keep myself in tune with the Spirit to see if there’s something needed of me.

One of the things that has helped me is the Youth Album the church produces. Each year, there is a youth theme, and the youth album has original songs related to it. This year, the theme is “Look Unto Christ.” The title song, “Look Unto Christ,” is on continuous repeat in my head. I see it as a way to “let virtue garnish [my] thoughts unceasingly” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:45). The garnish on my thoughts helps to keep me grounded in who I worship.

Worship and Transformation

All that I have mentioned is my intentional way of worshipping and adoring God. Over time, I have seen myself transformed. I find that I’m more charitable to my fellow man. I have begun to see everyone as a child of God. This has helped when something offends me. I don’t have to associate the offense with the person. They may have committed an offense, but they are still God’s children and they deserve my forgiveness.

My happiness has also increased through this intentional worship. I have a more positive outlook on life. I can see more good because my worship keeps me on the covenant path. I am less likely to get down on myself and more likely to say, “Well, that happened, what can I learn from it? How can I move on?”

Following the Savior’s Example

Elder Christofferson states, “Ultimately, how we live may be the best, most genuine form of worship.” The Savior, when he was here on the Earth, showed us by His example how to worship. Every day, He worshipped God through prayer, service (healings, miracles, etc.), and His teachings. Even when he was rebuking others, it was a showing of love and wanting them to come unto Him.

How do I follow the Savior’s example? Above, I stated that my worship has transformed me. That has changed my habits. I pray more, study more, and in turn have learned more. My relationship with God and Christ has strengthened, which leads me to understand His example better. I then use that understanding to follow His example more closely. Even so, I have a long way to go in following His lead.

Worship Stealers

When I was a newlywed, I was a sports fanatic. I could name starting lineups for every baseball team. I religiously followed the four major sports along with golf, tennis, soccer, and even Australian Rules Football. It got to the point where my smart and wonderful wife sat me down and talked about how it was distracting from our marriage and worship. I have since scaled way back in my sports fanaticism.

Sports had become a worship thief. I thought about sports more than I thought about God. I studied stats and watched shows about sports instead of reading scriptures and praying.

It is easy to get caught up in things that take your worship away from God. We have so much information that we can easily lay aside the things God has given us. This gives us the feeling of being “in the know.” I have learned that it is better to be in God’s “know” than the world’s.

Elder Christofferson counsels, “The object of our worship is exclusively ‘the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] has sent.’” I have tried to keep that in mind throughout the day. That effort has brought a blessing where the song I mentioned above comes to my mind when I start to stray.

Showing Worship Through Life

The last area where I worship is how I live my life. Recently, I started on a new project at work. I came in as the new guy and didn’t know anyone on the team. In a work trip, I noticed that I was being treated “differently.” This wasn’t a bad thing. It was a respect thing. Through my actions, words, and other “tells”, my team recognized that I am a member of the LDS church. They have asked questions and respected my values. Honestly, it shocked me when I realized this.

This experience, plus the habits I’ve formed, are showing my worship by the way I live. This gives me confidence to continue walking the covenant path. It has also built my trust and faith in God and Christ. Even when things go awry, I “have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh;” (2 Nephi 4:34).

Conclusion

Elder Christofferson’s message inspired me to ask the question, “What does it mean to worship God?” I have found that it means how I live my life every day. I find joy in Sundays being different. Happiness is found in reading my scriptures, praying, and listening to podcasts like “Church History Matters.” I strive to follow the example of Jesus Christ and emulate His life in my own. My worship is unique to me and builds my relationship with God and Christ. May your worship do the same.