Comfortable or Uncomfortable?

It is certainly true that a lot of times, Christians are very comfortable resting in Christ, spending time in prayer, or in the work of the ministry.  In fact, we're told to rest and trust in Christ in everything.  However, there are a few aspects about worship that can be very UNcomfortable.

All throughout scripture, we can see that there is the element of sacrifice that is involved in worship.  I'm sure Abraham was not comfortable on his way to sacrifice his son. Sacrifice, is just that.  It can be painful for a person to sacrifice their things, because we've worked hard in getting the things we want or have such a strong attachment to those things thus making it difficult.  Sacrifice is uncomfortable.

Anytime a person is faced with the choice of humbling themselves or doing what they think is best so that they are comfortable, 99% of the time being comfortable takes priority over humbling ourselves.  One example that comes to my mind right away is King Nebuchadnezzar.  He didn't humble himself, so he was humbled by the Lord.  The essence of humility is to forsake all of OUR wants and desires and if we choose that, humility can become very uncomfortable.

Standing up for Christ is uncomfortable.  It's getting more and more difficult to share the unashamed truth of God with the world.  Christians are labeled as bigots, hypocrites, arrogant, or anything else.  Making a stand for Christ means that a Christian might be the only one making that stand.  Remember Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego?  They were the only ones that were standing up for Christ and His truth.  In Acts 16, Paul and Silas spoke up to share God's truth.  I can't imagine how uncomfortable it was for them, shackled in the dungeon, cold, and naked.  I'm sure, like many of us, they would have much rather curled up in a ball.  God saved them and also Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego. 

False worship often imitates true worship in many elements, but true worship should never imitate the elements of the world.  It seems like worship services in Christian churches are imitation of secular rock concerts.  The lyrics of the songs might contain the truth of God's Word, but that's it.  The lights, smokey atmosphere,  loud amplified speakers, and screaching guitars are there for performance purposes and are so loud that they take away the concept of reverence for God.  In every worship account or passage, according to what God has said and what is acceptable, is a strong element of reverence to God.  The element of reverence is a core characteristic of true worship. 

Isaiah 55:8 teaches believers that God's ways and thoughts are not the ways and the thoughts of any believer.  True worship is not characteristic of anything that a Christian thinks it should be like, but only characteristic of what God's Word mandates.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."