The Cost of Worship
You won’t relent until you have it all
My heart is yours
You won’t relent until you have it all
My heart is yours
“You Won’t Relent” — Jesus Culture
When I hear these lyrics, I see a call to submission. The spiritual discipline of submission is a form of worship. As humans, we clench our fists so tightly around things we truly need to release. When God calls us to worship, He is beckoning us to live a life of authenticity, to offer up authentic worship. Many of us approach worship with our hands closed, tightly clenching to that with which we choose to control. We say, “Lord use me” without considering what being a living sacrifice might actually look like. What will worship require of me? It is time for a heart check. Am I willing to lay down what I have chosen to clench so tightly?
“Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? I encourage you to surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And life in holiness experiencing all that delights his heart. For this become your genuine expression of worship.”
— Romans 12:1 TPT
True worship is costly.
In Scripture, we find examples over and over again of people who sought out Jesus, but their acts of worship were costly. Their acts of worship required the act of giving up. Their worship required a point of surrender.
Then Jesus went to Bethany, to the home of Simon a man Jesus healed of leprosy. A woman came into the house, holding an alabaster flask filled with fragrant and expensive oil. She walked right up to Jesus, and in a lavish gesture of devotion, she poured out the costly oil, and it cascaded over his head as he was at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were offended. “What a total waste!” They grumbled. “We could have sold it for a great deal of money and given it to the poor.” Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them. “Why are you critical of this woman? She has done a beautiful act of kindness to me.”
— Matthew 26:6-10 TPT
This woman took the costliest possession she had, and offered it to Jesus in pure adoration and devotion. Her worship was genuine and authentic. Jesus saw the heart of the matter, and He honored her because He saw her intention. He knew her heart.
Worship is a Heart Posture.
In Genesis, we find the infamous story of Cain and Abel. There is a contrast in the heart of their worship:
“Now Abel kept the flocks and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering for the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor with Abel on his offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favor.”
— Genesis 4:2-5 NIV
Abel brought the Lord his best. The very best of his flock, the firstborn fat portions. As a keeper of the flocks. This offering cost Abel something. On the other hand, Cain brought the Lord some of the fruits of the soil, not even the first fruits. God saw straight to the heart of the matter. He honored Abel and did not look with favor on Cain. God knows when our worship is costly. He knows when it is authentic. He knows when we are going through the motions, to keep up appearances.
True worship requires humility.
“He has shown you O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”
— Micah 6:8 NIV
What is done in secret, God honors. God sees. God recognizes when we are pure of heart. He also recognizes when we are inauthentic. He knows when our worship costs us something.
Then He sat down near the offering box, watching all the people dropping in their coins. Many of the rich would put in very large sums, but a destitute widow walked up and dropped in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. Jesus called His disciples to gather around and then said to them. “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given a larger offering than any of the wealthy. For the rich only gave out of their surplus, but she sacrificed out of her poverty and gave to God all that she had to live on, which was everything she had.”
— Mark 12:41-44 TPT
What is God requiring you to sacrifice today?
Sacrifice can come in many forms. God asks for everything we have to give. Perhaps for some of us, God is asking us to sacrifice our pride, expectations, fears, justification, or relenting our control—dominion over a situation. For others, He may be asking for your time, talents, and treasures. What do you need to lay down so you can step into a life of authentic worship?
“Here’s my point, a stingy sower will reap a meager harvest, but the one who sows from a generous spirit will reap an abundant harvest. Let giving flow from your heart, not from a sense of religious duty. Let it spring up freely from the joy of giving.”
— 2 Corinthians 9:7 TPT
Try this exercise.
With palms down in surrender, I am symbolically releasing and letting go of what I have been gripping so tightly. With palms up in surrender, I am bringing my cares and requests to God. I surrender with a heart of gratitude in true and authentic worship.
- Kierstin Almstrum, Soul Care + Connections Lead
About Kierstin
Kierstin is a licensed and trained Christian counselor. She believes wholeness is a journey and that, through the work of the Holy Spirit, what once was broken can become whole. Her passion is to equip others with the tools needed to start their journey.
