Preparing Our Hearts for Worship

"Prepare your hearts for worship…"

I've heard that phrase on so many Sundays. It always ended with "…as we sing this song" or "…with a moment of prayer."

But I have found that it takes MUCH more than a song and a moment of quiet to prepare my heart on a Sunday morning. On a good day, my mind is full of family and church matters and to-do lists. On a bad day, I'm envying someone's hair, disagreeing about the choice of a song, or getting annoyed because a cell phone goes off.

I need to be honest with myself. I know that little things are constantly competing for my attention (and I give it to them); angry feelings towards my spouse, my children, or another member of the church can also hinder worship. I can't expect to show up in the sanctuary, out of breath, my thoughts in a muddle, and be ready to worship after saying a quick prayer and singing a song or two. And besides, God does not want our "worship" to be a few songs, a few prayers, a few handshakes, and a few minutes sitting in a chair or pew on a Sunday morning. Worship involves our whole mind, body, heart, and soul. This will take some effort on my part.

So, to really prepare my heart for worship, I have an action plan.

Prepare the night before:

1) Make as much of Sunday's breakfast on Saturday night, or at least put the cereal, bowls, and spoons on the table. This eliminates stress as I am trying to get everyone out the door on time.

2) Choose clothes on Saturday night.

3) Don't stay up too late.

4) Pray for the church body and our time together. I try to pray specifically for people I don't tend to see during the week. If they are newer people, I ask God for a chance to talk to them. If they are people who need encouragement, I ask God to show me how best to encourage them.

5) If possible, ask for the Bible passage the week before. Read through it several times before Sunday.

Know my weaknesses:

1) Sit near the front when I can to avoid getting distracted by people.

2) Quickly jot down my to-do list for the day or week to get it off my mind.

3) Bring a notebook and pen for doodling or note-taking while I listen. Or take notes in my Bible (yes, it's okay!)

4) Put away physical distractions (for most people today, this would be their cell phone).

5) If I become habitually critical of people (the way they dress, the way they sing, etc.) or an aspect of the service (too many hymns, drums are too loud, etc.) I pray beforehand and ask God to remove the criticism and replace it with gratitude.

6) Keep a bag of quiet activities for the kids in my car so I will always have it on hand in case my children are sitting with me. Also, I talk to my children about what they can expect during a worship service. I tell them that they are participants too, not just tag-alongs. (Bring paper and pencils and ask them to draw the sermon as they listen. You will be surprised at how much they pick up!)

And when I find that something between me and a brother or sister in Christ is hindering me from worship:

1) I excuse myself from the room and find a quiet place to pray.

2) I talk to the other person, even if it means pulling him/her out of the service too. Once God has brought the problem to light, I don't wait to confess and ask for forgiveness or to work through a problem. (So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ~Matthew 5:23-24)


I challenge you to check your "Sunday morning" health level this week. See how often you catch yourself thinking, "Where should we go for lunch?" or "Why is she wearing that?" during the church service. You too may need an action plan to prepare your heart for worship. Feel free to use mine, or if you have ideas and suggestions to share, please do!