Sunday Lab: Preparing for Worship When Worship Has Been Excised from Worship
Most of us don’t control what happens in our worship gatherings. But we can control what happens in our own souls. Try this practice before worship—whether you attend in person or have created your own contemplative rhythm:
Before Leaving for Worship (10 minutes)
Light a candle
Read Psalm 46:10 slowly three times: “Be still, and know that I am God”
Sit in silence for 5 minutes with this question: “What am I hoping to encounter in worship? Entertainment or God?”
Notice without judgment what arises
Close with this breath prayer: “Be still” (inhale) / “and know” (exhale)
Before Worship Begins (5 minutes)
Whether you’re sitting in a sanctuary or preparing for contemplative practice at home:
Arrive early (or begin early)
Instead of scrolling your phone or chatting, sit in silence
Place your hand on your heart and pray: “Lord, I come not to be entertained but to encounter You. Help me find You even in the noise.”
During Worship
If worship feels more like production than presence, don’t leave your body. Stay present. Keep breathing. God is still there, even when the lights are bright and the music is loud.
After Worship (10 minutes)
When you return home:
Light a candle again
Ask yourself: “Where did I encounter God today? Where did I miss Him?”
Write down one moment—even a small one—where you sensed God’s presence
If you felt nothing, write that too. God is present even in the silence and the disappointment.
Close by praying: “Lord, thank You for meeting me where I was, not where I wished to be.”
Gratefully,
— Gene
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