How Worship Carried Me When Prayer Felt Heavy
There was a season in my life when I began questioning where I stood spiritually and physically. I wasn’t walking away from God, but I was searching for clarity. I wanted to know if I was truly living in my purpose or simply staying busy doing what felt comfortable.
So I prayed, “Lord, show me where I am. Reveal any open doors. Answer the questions I am afraid to ask.”
Over time, I have learned that God often answers me through song. The songs I wake up singing or the ones that suddenly rise in my spirit throughout the day often carry a message He wants to reveal to me. This time was no different. God didn’t respond with a checklist or correction. He answered through worship.
When God Responded Through Worship
One morning, He woke me up with the song “My Worship” by Phil Thompson. As I read the lyrics, one line stood out: “No one can worship You for me.” The Holy Spirit made it clear no one could surrender for me, seek God for me, or worship Him from the place of obedience He was inviting me into.
Scripture says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Worship became my invitation to draw near honestly and fully.
Drawing Near and Walking Through the Changes
As I stayed obedient, God began walking me through my journey. He showed me the changes He had already been making in me, how every instruction, every uncomfortable step, and every “yes” I questioned was shaping and building my purpose. Even the things I resisted or would not have chosen for myself were part of His refining work. Over time, I realized nothing had been wasted.
I don’t crave attention or the spotlight, yet obedience led me into growth opportunities I would not have naturally pursued. God used opportunities within my church to stretch and mature me, and He also prompted me to step into spaces beyond what felt familiar like creating my Instagram and building this online platform. Each step stretched me, strengthened me, and helped enhance where God was already taking me according to the destiny He had aligned long before. Through it all, God was teaching me to trust Him beyond my comfort.
When Worship Carried Me Through Heavy Seasons
There were also seasons when prayer felt heavy. I didn’t lack faith, but I lacked words. In those moments, I worshiped. Worship didn’t replace prayer; it carried me until I could pray again. It didn’t replace repentance, obedience, faith in Christ, or submission to God’s will, but it strengthened all of them. “The Spirit helps us in our weakness” (Romans 8:26).
Worship as Alignment, Not Replacement
Worship is different from other spiritual disciplines because it re-centers God, not the battle. Prayer petitions God, fasting humbles the heart, and Scripture renews the mind, but worship exalts God. “Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered” (Psalm 68:1). Worship invites the presence of Light, and “the light shines in the darkness” (John 1:5).
Throughout Scripture, worship often precedes God’s intervention and victory (2 Chronicles 20), deliverance (Acts 16), and relief from heaviness (1 Samuel 16). Worship does not replace God’s power; it positions us to experience it.
Jesus reminds us that true worship is not performance but surrender, worshiping in spirit and in truth (John 4:23–24). God is not moved by volume, but by honesty (Psalm 51:17).
Today, worship is woven into my daily life, whether I am driving, working, cooking, exercising, or sitting quietly before God. “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Worship is no longer something I do only when I am desperate. It has become a lifestyle.
If prayer feels distant or difficult for you right now, you are not alone. When words feel hard to find, begin with worship. Sit before God. Acknowledge Him. Surrender again.
A Prayer of Repentance, Worship, and Surrender
Father God, I come before You humbly, acknowledging my need for You. I confess that distractions, weariness, and self-reliance have sometimes dulled my pursuit of You. Your Word says that if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me (1 John 1:9), and today I repent not only for actions, but for drifting from Your presence.
I surrender again. I release control, my plans, and my understanding. You are God, and I am not (Isaiah 55:8–9). Today, I choose worship not as a performance or a replacement, but as an offering of my heart. Teach me to worship You in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). Let my life be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to You (Romans 12:1).
I fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith (Hebrews 12:2).
My worship belongs to You alone.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
