The Reverence of Worship

The Reverence of Worship 

    by Melissa Holstrom

Lately, the Lord has been stirring my heart about what true worship really means. As someone who loves music and serves in worship ministry, I’ve had to pause and reflect on how easily we can lose sight of what this is all about. Worship was never meant to be a show, a performance, or a place for us to shine — it was always meant to be about Him. My prayer is that we, as worshipers and leaders, return to a place of reverence, humility, and awe before the Lord.

In a world that constantly celebrates performance, platform, and personality, it’s easy for the church to drift into seeing worship as a show. Lights, production, and talent have their place, but when the focus shifts from His presence to our performance, we’ve missed the heart of worship.

True worship has never been about us shining — it’s about allowing the anointing of the Holy Spirit to shine through us. Every gift, every note, every word we sing is meant to draw attention to Jesus, not ourselves. Worship isn’t a commodity to be consumed; it’s the fruit of the Holy Spirit working within surrendered hearts to glorify the Father.

“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” — John 4:24

Worship is holy. It’s reverent. It’s not a performance, it’s a sacrifice. Romans 12:1 reminds us to “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.” When we bring our voices, our instruments, and our creativity before Him, it’s not to impress — it’s to lay them down in surrender and adoration.

We are vessels — carriers of His presence. The gifts and talents He’s entrusted to us are not for self-promotion but for His glorification. When we worship, we’re not showcasing skill; we’re showcasing surrender. The anointing doesn’t come from our ability — it flows from our intimacy with the Lord. And that anointing costs us something. It’s forged through the refining fire — through our own death to pride, ego, and self. It’s shaped in the hidden places, through trials and seasons of surrender, where the flesh is silenced and the Spirit is strengthened.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” — 2 Corinthians 4:7

We can’t lead people where we haven’t been ourselves. If we haven’t spent time in the secret place, in the quiet and holy space of His presence, our worship will lack the weight of the anointing. True leadership in worship comes from a place of humility — from those who have first bowed low before the King in private before ever standing before people in public.

“He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way.” — Psalm 25:9
“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” — James 4:8

When our hearts are set on Him, worship becomes a beautiful exchange — our praise for His presence, our surrender for His glory. It’s in that sacred space that we truly lead others into the throne room of grace, where all eyes are lifted to Jesus and every heart bows in awe of who He is.

May we never forget: worship is not about how well we sing or play. It’s about how well we surrender. It’s not about what we can produce, but what we can offer.

So today, let’s return to reverence. Let’s be worshipers who seek His face before seeking a stage — those who carry the fragrance of time spent in His presence, whose lives and songs both proclaim:

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name be the glory.” — Psalm 115:1

A Prayer of Reverence

Father,
Thank You for the honor of worship — for allowing us to come before You with songs of praise and hearts of adoration. Forgive us for the moments we’ve made worship about ourselves, about how it looks or sounds, instead of Who it’s for.

We lay down our pride, our striving, and our need to be seen. Teach us again what it means to worship in spirit and in truth. Help us to become vessels You can pour through — emptied of self and filled with Your presence.

Refine us in the secret place. Let every trial, every season of surrender, deepen the oil of anointing in our lives. May our songs be a reflection of time spent with You, and may our worship always lead others straight to Your heart.

Not to us, Lord, but to Your name be the glory — forever and ever.
Amen.

Let’s Talk About It

If this message stirred something in your heart, I’d love to hear from you.
How is the Lord calling you back to reverence in worship?
Share your thoughts or testimony in the comments — let’s encourage one another to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and our hearts bowed low before Him.