Today I”m asking some very serious questions (at least for me)… and hoping for replies.  I know that most who answer will do so primarily from their experience and therefore the answers will probably be founded in the subjective sphere, and that is okay.  I do the same thing.  So here are my questions…

Is it possible to worship God without being moved to tears… without raising your hands and clapping… without being moved emotionally?  Do you have to “feel” God’s presence to worship Him?  And is this possible when you are with hundreds of other believers who are worshipping in this manner? 

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know I’m asking this question as the result of a recent experience of my own.  While in a worship service, everyone was raising their hands, smiling, clapping, and even shouting in worship of God.  While all that was going on, I remained quiet.  I didn’t have the emotional response it seemed everyone else was having.  Does that mean I missed the Spirit’s presence?

Thing is… there are many times when I worship God in the midst of tears. Many times I am overwhelmed emotionally over God’s majesty.  Many times I do raise my hand in worship of God.  Many times I am moved emotionally. I just wasn’t moved to respond to God in worship in those ways in that particular gathering of believers. So am I the odd one out??? The time I most strongly sensed God’s presence in worship was with 60,000 other men… in the Georgia Dome… in complete, absolute silence.

The last thing I want to do is be a hindrance to anyone else in their worship of God.  I do not want to quench the Spirit for other believers.   And more importantly… when the Spirit IS present, I don’t want to be left out of receiving a blessing from God!

In my view when it comes to worship, emotion can take on many forms… none of which can be accurately read by anyone else.  In the same event can one person weep while another bows their head in silence and awe of God?  In the same event can one person raise their hands and another can close their eyes… and both be worshipping God?  In the same event can one weep, another be quiet, and another smile and all be worshipping God? If one person does not have the same emotional response in a worship event as all others, does that mean everyone else encountered God and one missed out?

I really am interested to read your response…