God moves through people different ways.

I could end the article with that statement, but I'm not.

Personally, when I was in high school, I felt a little weird in church sitting next to the hand-raiser person. You know who I'm talking about. That person during worship who raises their hand almost as reaching out to God. They have their eyes closed and yelling the praises and an occasional fist pump.

I seriously thought I was missing something because I never felt moved so much to fist pump or raise my hands in praise. I've really enjoyed songs with a clap, snap, or a few foot taps. But what was I missing out on and why didn't I feel that way?

Same during a prayer. I went to a private Christian high school in Nashville, Tennessee. When people prayed, they spoke with so much passion. Their voice rising and falling. A tear falling down their face asking for guidance for us. It was almost like poetry. Very beautiful. I was embarrassed by my own prayers which led me to never volunteering to lead a prayer.

Seriously, I felt like my prayers were not good enough for God, that I needed to start off my talks with Him like "Oh heavenly Father who has blessed us with this beautiful life that we take for granted, watch over our walks and direct our paths to serve you, etc...". I started my talks with God like "Hey God, today was pretty awesome. Thanks for that. Oh yeah, Jane Doe seems to be having a hard time with losing her grandmother. Can you be there for her. Etc...".

People would talk about God moving their heart or placing a calling in their heart. God moved them to tears. God pushed them to this or that. People cried at his messages.

What was I doing wrong?

I really thought this for all of high school and well into college. I would stay up at night thinking what was I missing that these people have figured out. I really wanted to feel the presence of God in moments. I wanted to hear God. I wanted to feel the Holy Spirit.

Why on earth was I missing it? What was I doing wrong?

It wasn't until my senior year I figured it out. I can't remember where I heard it, but God doesn't give a flip if you pray to Him like poetry or like talking to a friend. He just wants it to be real and from the heart.

God doesn't care if you are hand raising, foot tapping, finger snapping during a worship song. He just wants you to be praising him in your own personal way with all your heart.

If you just pray in an extravagant way to impress people, you basically are missing the whole point of talking with God. Same goes with worship songs.

Also, God moves people different ways. You don't have to feel this all holiness in your soul to the depth of your bones for God to be talking to you. For me, I think if I keep thinking about it for a while, I believe that's God's way of talking to me. He is probably talking to you in your own special way.

All-in-all, God doesn't want people worshiping him one way and only that way. He created diversity. The poetic worship is beautiful but if you are doing it for show it becomes ugly. If you are praying, worshiping, and talking to God with all your heart, letting it pour out to him, He is listening.