I have encountered people who have left worship services with a negative attitude, complaining about various aspects that did not suit their preferences. They may have thought the singing was not perfect or that the sermon delivery had shortcomings. Others might have felt that those leading the worship service—whether in prayer, communion, or announcements—were not flawless. For whatever reason, some individuals leave a worship service saying something to the effect of, “Well, I didn’t get anything out of that service.” This is an absolutely poor way of approaching worship. 

It’s Not About You

In the scriptures, we learn important truths about our attitude toward worship. Worship is not about us; it is to always be about the Almighty God, first and foremost (Matt. 4:10; John 4:24; Rev. 14:7). As we gather, we should focus on God as the object of our worship. It is Him that we aim to please, always (Rom. 15:1-3; 2 Cor. 5:9-11). When we pray together, we are praying to Him (Acts 2:42). When we sing together, we are offering Him the fruit of our lips in praise (Eph. 5:17-21; Col. 3:15-17; Heb. 13:15). When we observe the Lord’s Supper, we remember His sacrifice for our sins (John 3:16; Matt. 26:26-28; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-29). When we give of our means, we are cheerfully offering back what He has already blessed us with (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 9:7; Phil. 4:17-20). When we engage in the apostles’ doctrine through the study and application of His word, we honor God by striving to divide and apply the scriptures to our lives rightly (John 8:31-32; Acts 2:42; 2 Tim. 3:14-17).

Worship Is About Giving, Not Getting

First and foremost, we must therefore understand that a worship service is about honoring God. It is not about what we can gain from it. Some might argue, “Yes, it is about God, but it is also about my edification.” However, we should be cautious here. Hebrews 10:24-25 instructs us to, “consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (New King James Version, emphasis mine).  

God is to be the object of our worship; we aim to please Him. And even after that, it should not be about my personal gain, but rather, about edifying our brothers and sisters in the assembly. I want to be the person I can be in the worship assembly, encouraging others toward love and good works. I should want my fellow believers to be built up and strengthened! 

Shift the Focus

Worship is about giving God glory—and extending encouragement—to others. It was never meant to be self-centered or focused solely on ourselves. My worship of God must be intended to please Him and positively influence my fellow man. By putting my all into such efforts, I will inevitably therefore benefit from worship. So, instead of focusing on how things were presented or how they fell short, we would all do better to glorify and honor God, and to improve the atmosphere to support our fellow worshippers (working from the inside out). 

In doing so, we shift our focus away from ourselves and our own attitudes and work outwardly to edify others. Worship is not “about me” and “what I get out of it;” rather, it is about God and what we put into it.