It is all about "Us" at the centre. With their mouths they worship God but in their hearts they are not worshiping God at all. They are worshiping at the shrine of self-fulfilment, self-gratification, pleasure and practicing the same religion as those who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, or sex.
When I speak with our younger generation, what comes across all the time. Their need and desire is to fulfil all their dreams and goals and inner urges.
Why are we surprised – when most of us have been raised in selfishness? We were taught that worship is for us – a lively service, jokes and humour, things to make us feel good. Our self-focused worship is what I experienced growing up as a young man in pentecostal churches. We began the practice, and now this self-absorbed generation, which we raised, is off seeking even more and higher levels of addiction to feelings!
Christians see these movements as a "happy pill" that will deliver them from dead religion. This self-focused religious excitement seeks to lead the people along the terrible route of personal ecstasy.
However this focusing on self is dead and worthless and leads us away from Christ. Being Christ’s disciple requires us to deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow Him. We need to seek always to let the Holy Spirit lead and guide us. He will lead us to Christ, who will become everything to us – our focus and our desire. He gives us joy in our trials, and strength and power by His Spirit to live, not through our worship experiences, but through His presence.
He is with us at all times, not just when we "feel good".
Post published in: Faith