WORSHIP WHEN THE WORLD HAS HURT YOU.

Have you been hurt by the people you trusted? Felt rejection so deeply that it shapes

how you see yourself, others, even God? I want to speak to you today… not as someone

pointing from the outside, but as someone who knows that pain can feel heavy, endless,

and isolating.

In the Bible, there was a woman named Hannah. She longed for a child, but she was

mocked and marginalized by those closest to her (1 Samuel 1:6). Her heart was full of

grief, yet she did not let bitterness keep her away from God. Instead, she poured out her

soul in prayer, crying out to Him with raw honesty (1 Samuel 1:10).

Hannah’s worship was in spirit and in truth (John 4:23–24). She did not worship

because she had already received the blessing she longed for; she worshipped because

God was God. Her prayers and praises came from the depth of her being, rooted in the

reality of His character, not her circumstances.

You, too, can worship like Hannah. It’s okay if your heart is heavy, if anger or sorrow rises

within you. True worship does not require you to have it all together. It asks only that you

bring your real self before God. Even broken, even doubting, you can look to Him and

say:

"Lord, I am hurting. I am lonely. I am tired of being let down. But You are faithful. You are

good. You are my refuge."

Praise acknowledges what God has done. Worship goes deeper… it acknowledges who

God is. When the world has hurt you, people have failed you and life seems unfair,

worship in spirit and in truth reminds your soul: God is unchanging, God is trustworthy

and God is enough.

Let Hannah’s example encourage you: when your heart is raw and your spirit feels

fragile, you can still come before God. Cry, lift your hands, whisper or simply sit in His

presence. Let your worship rise from your spirit and be grounded in truth.

You are not defined by the rejection you’ve faced. You are not limited by the wounds

inflicted on you. Your worship, rooted in the reality of who God is, begins to heal you,

strengthen you and restore your perspective.

Guided Prayer for Worship in Spirit and Truth

"Lord, I come to You with a heart that is weary and wounded. You see my pain and You

know my sorrows. Even though I have been hurt, I choose to lift my spirit to You. Teach

me to worship You in spirit and in truth. Help me to see You as You are… faithful, good and holy. Let my worship rise from the depths of my heart, not because of what I have

received, but because of who You are. Comfort me, heal me, and remind me that Your

presence is enough. Amen.

By Pamela Steenkamp