I have always found it interesting and rather contradictory, when people make suggestions on how one should approach their relationship with God; more specifically, how you’re supposed to “act” in church. Outside of causing a ruckus therefore requiring that one be removed, I don’t think it’s a very smart idea to sit in the pews and put on a show just so everyone one else around you feels more comfortable in their worship.

For example, for the longest time I used to sing in my church: in both the praise team and the choir. I stopped because I had a real problem with standing up singing about how great God is when in my heart, I’m hurting or dealing with some sin. I saw it as hypocritical and wrong for me to be standing up there helping to lead praise when all along I knew that something wasn’t right inside. I don’t begrudge other people in the same position that choose to stay and sing but don’t assume to tell me what I should or shouldn’t do based off of what you decided works best for you.

God doesn’t like ugly but he despises fakes and liars more.

Fake worship is just as bad (and I would argue that it’s worse) as not worshipping at all. Just because you’re not jumping up and down screaming “Hallelujah,” doesn’t mean that I love the Lord any less than a deacon in a three-piece suit. Sometimes you don’t feel like singing along. Sometimes it’s just best if you sit and listen. There is no crime in that (except in the eyes of man) and you shouldn’t feel pressured to do things just so you can be considered part of some team.

Stuff like this happens all the time in houses of worship the world over. We are told to not indulge in long, babbling prayers but I bet every person reading this knows at least one person who when asked to pray aloud can easily talk for 5-10 minutes doing exactly that. Should they be called out on the carpet for that? Or, should the intent of their heart be the measure of their words?

It would seem that the latter would hold more sway.

I’m not going to fake smiles, fake songs of praise and randomly cry out “Yes Lord” and “Amen” because God sees through all of that so who exactly are you trying to fool? More to the point, who are you really trying to impress? Are you trying to get right with God or are you content on treading water and fitting in? Are you being honest with yourself and God or are you just trying to get by? He already knows the truth anyway so what is the point on trying to hide it?

There isn’t a point in hiding it unless you think you can get away with it. That may work with your fellow man but the omniscient creator of the universe? Not so much.

When I am ill and go to the hospital, the attending physician doesn’t ask me to fake feeling better so the other patients don’t panic. Instead, the good doctor finds out what’s wrong with the patient and makes the appropriate recommendations for treatment. The reality of life is that you don’t always have good days, you don’t always feel like jumping for joy and you don’t always smile. People go thru things and you would think that good church going fellow Christians would understand that. Some do, some don’t and some rather delight in poking your splinter instead of helping you to pull it.