True Worship Is More Than Sunday: Living a Life of Daily Faithfulness
We say it often—worship is (and should be) our entire life.
But here’s the disconnect…
The Sunday–Thursday Contrast
Sunday worship often looks pristine: tailored dresses, well-lined pews, hair in a bun, picture-perfect smiles, Bible in hand, a gracious word at the ready for the greeters, and knees hitting the ground at the first prayer call.
But by Thursday?
Life feels unhinged—missed breakfasts, oily (or dry!) hair, dusty dashboards, deadlines and laundry piling up, frustrating coworkers, raised voices, messy moods, and an unmistakable irritability—especially when we’ve overslept.
The Call to Examine Ourselves
Before the light of God’s Word, we are invited to examine our hearts. In fact, we’re called to do so:
“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.”
—2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)
We are often tempted to replace righteous living with religious activities—fasting, singing, praying, preaching, giving. But these outward disciplines are empty if they don't lead to inward transformation.
When Worship Isn’t Worship
Let this sink in:
No worship that leaves us irritable, sarcastic, haughty, harsh, unkind, bitter, rude, contentious, or short with our spouses, children, or coworkers is true worship.
No worship that leaves us greedy, selfish, lazy, or self-indulgent is true worship either.
If religion becomes a cloak that lets us justify our behavior or ignore our holy responsibilities, then it ceases to be worship—and becomes offensive to God.
God Desires True Devotion
We must not be hypocrites.
We must, in our daily lives, be the same gracious Christians who left church full of joy on Sunday. We must confront the pride (and unbelief!) that tempts us to perform for others instead of coming to God with honesty and humility.
Religious activity that doesn’t result in real-life change becomes the object of God’s rebuke:
“Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?”
—Isaiah 58:5 (ESV)
God is not impressed by appearances. He’s after our hearts—and our transformation.
A Daily Offering
May our tears be sincere and our religion righteous. May God’s mercy guide us into true devotion. May we learn to offer our whole lives as worship to Him. May every day of the week, and every second of every day, be surrendered—until even our motives and moods are consecrated for His glory and our good.
Reflection Questions:
In what ways do I substitute faithfulness in daily duties with religious activity?
Are there areas of my character I’ve ignored instead of bringing them to God?
How can I be more intentional in my relationships this week to bring glory to God?
Meet the Author
Evelyn Faith Ogungbemi
Evelyn Faith loves to bask in the truth that God delights in and rejoices over her with singing! She is a multi-hyphenate— a student doctor who has spent most of her adult life writing across several outlets in tech.
Evelyn is a little too obsessed with starting new (old) books, as you will mostly catch her soaking up C.S. Lewis and the likes, with plugged-in AirPods playing ambient worship music. She also loves to discover indie Christian artists and can go a whole day listening to gospel-centred podcasts.
She believes Jesus’ glorious reign over us is the answer to all of life’s problems, and we must do ministry until the earth is filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the seas.
