Worship hurts

“When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which he entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate.” Ezekiel 46:9

This obscure little verse that I saw recently always seems to have an impact on me.

Ezekiel prophesied that when the Israelites went to worship, they were supposed to leave a different way than when they came in. You go in one door, you have to go out a semenax results different one. You must not leave the same way.

This says something to me about worship. I come in one way, and I need to leave differently. True worship results in transformation. I’m supposed to be different after I’ve worshipped…every time.

It’s not just about singing or about getting the “Holy Ghost Goose Bumps”, honest worship includes being reshaped. But change and growth hurts. In fact, growth is impossible without pain.

So next time you go to a worship service, don’t just anticipate the thrill, but open yourself up for the challenge and the pain (“but it’s a good pain”). Then, be prepared to leave a little more like Jesus than when you went in.