Skip to content Week 4: Your Shortcut to God + 7 Ways We Worship Feb 26 · 24 min ...more
Week 4: Your Shortcut to God + 7 Ways We Worship
February 26, 2026 · 24 min
Connect with God as your true self. In Part 4, explore 7 Ways We’re Wired to Worship + discover your Praise-o-nality. Free quiz + resources at hosannawong.com/uncomplicate-it.
Series Uncomplicate It: A Small Group Video Series February 26, 2026 · 24 min · Uncomplicate It: A Small Group Video Series
Connect with God as your true self. In Part 4, explore 7 Ways We’re Wired to Worship + discover your Praise-o-nality. Free quiz + resources at hosannawong.com/uncomplicate-it. ...more Show the full description Show less Connect with God as your true self. In Part 4, explore 7 Ways We’re Wired to Worship + discover your Praise-o-nality. Free quiz + resources at hosannawong.com/uncomplicate-it.
Series Uncomplicate It: A Small Group Video Series
12.5K followers
Kingdom Voices is your gateway to spiritual growth and inspiration. Featuring powerful teachings, heartfelt stories, helpful tips, and timeless wisdom from
12.5K followers
Overcoming Roadblocks: Your Personality as a Shortcut to God 0:19 Perhaps, when you have thought about a real experience with God, you've just seen roadblocks. All the ways it's too hard, not possible, not the right time, or just too complicated. But I wanna reveal to you that there0:31 are not only roadblocks to connecting with God, but also shortcuts, unique ways that you've been wired to connect with God best. I'm Hosanna Wong. And throughout my 1000 conversations and throughout God's word, I've0:42 discovered 6 shortcuts. 6 unique ways we can bulldoze through the roadblocks and enjoy God in our own unique way in our current season. Today, I wanna share with you 2. 1 is0:54 your personality. Yes. Your personality is a shortcut. The way you've been created is not a hindrance or a problem to connecting with God. It's what God made you with to best connect with him and with others.1:06 You've been set up for success. This is good news for the introverts and the extroverts, those who are social and those who love time alone. This is good news for the spontaneous. This is good news for the planners. What1:16 brings you joy? What brings you rest? What sounds fun? What sounds peaceful? What brings your soul to life? These are eclectic and purposeful pathways God created within you to experience him and enjoy all the zest of1:28 your life. This week, 1 of the best things you can do to live the full life God has created you to live is to go on a scavenger hunt for things that you enjoy and then enjoy them with God. Your1:40 specific details are shortcuts to God. Our first shortcut is your personality. Our second is your praise tonality. Now this was 1 of my favorite things I discovered in all my conversations. And I believe this will spurUnveiling Your Praiseonality: Seven Unique Ways to Worship 1:51 on many more conversations between you and the people in your life too. I started to notice some of the ways people were naturally bent to worship and encounter God. Other ways weren't as natural for some. And we also2:02 see this divine diversity in scripture. Throughout the bible, we read of many expressions of worship and different personalities praising God in different ways. What I've decided to dub your praise ownality. In2:14 fact, out of all my conversations, I unearthed 7. Now this is not like a personality test. No formulate questions and answers to perfectly define you and stick you in a box. Not at all. I don't wanna box you in. I wanna2:26 help set you free. I I wanna help give language to some of the various vibrant colorful ways you already worship God. The unique makings of your personality with its natural bents and joys will help you encounter God2:37 best. Know that you will likely have multiple qualities and that the people around you, your friends, your kids, your spouse might have totally different ones as well. Now out of all 7, there's 3 that I currently see as2:48 my natural events to worshiping God and I'll share mine when they come. But as I list these 7, I wonder which praise you are drawn to the most. 1, the recreationalist,3:00 the active, and outdoorsy. This recreationalist often feels God is closer when they are outside in his creation or doing something active. I heard stories of people feeling more at peace with God when by a body of3:12 water or the ocean or a lake. People feeling closest to God on hikes. 1 of my friends said, I actually connect with God best while I listen to the bible and work out. I used to think, I don't know if it counts, but it's3:23 the best time I have with him. Like how people go to the gym with their friends. If I had a gym buddy, Jesus would be my gym buddy. I know it's weird and funny but I've realized it counts and it certainly3:34 does. If this is you, you feel closest to God when you're on the move. Outside in his creation or in motion with your body, a walk, a hike, a workout, or even a road trip can become a sanctuary3:46 for your soul. You encounter God in open spaces, fresh air, and do the rhythm of movement, whether it's through a morning jog, a day at the beach, praying while lifting weights, or attending your garden. Activity in the3:58 outdoors opens your heart to his presence. A word of caution and encouragement. I'll share these for each of the praise and alities as well. Before the recreationalist, connecting with God and nature should better equip4:09 you to love others, not provide an escape from loving people well. Don't allow your love for activities in the outdoors lead you to a life in isolation. Instead celebrate that this is a natural way that you4:21 enjoy God and find ways to connect with God and with others through this thing you love. Don't worship creation more than you worship the creator but absolutely tie up your shoelaces, smear on some sunscreen and enjoy4:33 God through this profound unique way you're wired to worship. The second 1 is the beholder of beauty. If this is you, you encounter God through beautiful things, art, music, design, or creation4:45 itself, a painting, a photo, a song lyric, or even a well crafted sentence can stop you in your tracks and remind you of God's artistry. You notice details others might miss and find a deeper level of meaning in beauty,4:57 creativity, and craftsmanship. Whether enjoying beauty or creating beauty, You find joy, peace, and meaning in wonderfully created things. I heard stories of people reflecting on paintings that were particularly moving5:08 to them. People going to museums and literally in wonder and feeling closer to God. I met a woman who talked about how architecture brings her closer to God and how she can't believe how he created us to be able to come5:19 up with that. And I heard of people enjoying art and also creating art, feeling God closer while drawing and illustrating, while doing photography or writing music or producing, created things that literally5:31 brought people towards their creator. If you can relate, you may be a beholder of beauty. Now a word of caution and encouragement for the beholder of beauty. Enjoy beauty, but never talk down to those who don't see5:42 beauty the same way you do. Never let pride or pretentiousness become a wall between you and another human being that God loves. Let it be a shortcut to your connection, not a roadblock for others. Let it remain5:54 something holy and beautiful. And certainly, if you feel drained, exhausted, or far from God, go to that museum. Enjoy that portrait. Take those photos. Sit at your piano and lean into this wonderful way God has wired6:05 you. The third is a soul fire. I heard stories of people who naturally exude outward expressions of celebration. Those who come alive in loud and lively environments. I heard a story6:17 from a woman in her forties who loves dancing around her kitchen. I I heard a story from a man in his twenties who loves going to churches with loud music and in a larger crowd because he loves to sing without being6:28 judged or causing too much attention. A professional athlete told me how he loves turning up Haitian worship music like the kind of music his mom used to play for him growing up. Whether cleaning or packing for his next6:40 stop on his travel schedule, he makes time during his weeks to turn up the volume and praise God through this specific way. It's 0 chill and not at all subtle, but absolutely it is a way that many encounter6:52 God. Now some may see it as too expressive, too performative, or fake and it's possible that those people aren't naturally bent that way. For them, maybe it would be unnatural and feel like putting on a show. But for a7:03 soul fire, they are not performing. In fact, not worshiping God this way would be performative and fake. If this is you, your heart comes alive in expressive passionate worship. When you sing dance or celebrate God with7:15 joy and freedom, you feel his nearness. Whether it's a worship night with the volume of high, a dance party in your kitchen, or a song that stirs up your spirit. You connect best when your whole body joins in. Your7:26 enthusiasm isn't too much. It's your soul on fire for Jesus. For some, it might not be how they're naturally wired. But for you, it is. It's truly how you enjoy and engage with God. And7:38 that's a beautiful thing. A word of caution and encouragement. Worship God, not just experiences. And avoid relying on the spectacle of production for connection remain humble reverent. Come7:50 in a be committed to a community of believers noticing when it's inappropriate for certain spaces and how you can best honor others and obey God And also, 100 percent make sure you seek8:02 out the time and space for your soul to come to life. Raise your hands, turn up the volume, and live your life with praise parties all throughout. Fourth is a sacred space seeker. I had8:14 conversations with those who grew up in very traditional spaces and observed holy days, but felt like they were being forced fed religion in a legalistic way without the grace and love of Jesus. So when they encountered8:25 Jesus in a more casual atmosphere, perhaps with more modern music or without the traditions they grew up with, they were able to experience God in a fresh way. But I know just as many people who've had the opposite8:37 journey. They were raised in a church with loud music, bright lights, and great branding. Yet they longed for something more traditional. They longed for something with more structure, with more ancient roots. These8:47 would be the sacred space seekers. Some sacred space seekers may at times feel like soul fires are a bit much or outside the lines of sacred worship. They might feel like bright lights and loud music8:59 are counterintuitive to a sacred space to experience God. In this same vein, soul fires might feel like sacred space seekers are stuffy and legalistic, following rituals that can also seem performative9:12 in their own ways. They might feel that stained glass windows, pews, and rituals are old school traditions that once boxed them in. Traditions they finally have been freed from. And the truth, there is danger in9:23 worshiping any space or style more than we worship God. But the presence of God can absolutely be found in a myriad of ways through many types of traditions. The wonderful news is that different places9:35 and spaces are available for each of us to encounter God. For sacred space seekers, traditions, holy days, and sacred spaces are truly deeply meaningful. For them, the rituals are the opposite of9:47 legalistic. Such practices are the most real and freeing way they know to connect with God. If this is you, you feel closest to God through sacred traditions, holy days, and meaningful spaces. You find a9:59 holy comfort and structure, rituals and reverence, whether through communion, candles, prayer liturgies, or the rhythm of the church calendar. Sacred practices don't feel stuffy or routine to you. They feel grounding and10:10 holy. You sense God's presence in the stillness of a chapel, the echo of a hymn, or the lighting of a candle. These sacred practices don't box you in. They free you to encounter God in a real and meaningful way. A word10:22 of caution and encouragement. Seek to know God personally rather than merely through ritual. Worship must focus on God, not just tradition. Use holy practices to connect to God. Yes. But not as a substitute for10:33 true connection. Remember that rituals don't save you. Only Jesus saves you. But if rituals truly bring you closer to your grace giving savior, then that is a beautiful shortcut you should take to the glory of God. When10:45 free from legalism and unholy expectations that don't come from God, traditions, sacred spaces, holy days, and rituals are not roadblocks. They become wonderful ways to encounter God, Plan those10:57 traditions. Light the candles and live in the freedom and grace Jesus came to give to us. Fifth. Number 5 is an interior expert. This person is more of a solo sacred space11:08 seeker. They are lovers of stillness, quiet, and private moments with God. Those places become their sanctuary. A mom in her thirties said, there's nothing like being alone on my knees with no distractions,11:20 just me and God. I feel deeply in these moments and my faith comes alive. Being alone, I can feel my feelings and feel God. A college athlete said he has journaled daily since11:32 childhood. It brings me closer to God as I reflect on what he's done and reread my journey. Now I'll be honest, this is 1 of my bents out of my top 3 praise onalities. Interior expert is 1 of them and if this is you,11:44 you feel close to God in solitude and reflection. Quiet moments, raw prayers, and personal times of worship feel sacred to you. The name interior expert doesn't mean necessarily like you're an actual expert as if you11:56 know all there is to know about yourself for sure then I'd be out. But it means you are an explorer of your interior life and inner world archaeologist bent towards digging up what's beneath the surface. You are12:06 naturally introspective, Find joy in private encounters with God and love unseen sacred moments. Public or private, what matters to you is that it's real and meaningful and impactful. You may have a particular bent12:17 towards nostalgia. Playing certain music brings you back to a sacred space. Recounting certain memories reengages your faith. You feel God's presence closely when it's just you and him. Now a word of caution and12:28 encouragement. Don't love your alone time more than you love God. True interior surrender should make you more loving and more gracious in the exteriors of your life. Purposefully pair your personal faith with community12:40 engagement or service to guard against worshiping your sacred space more than you worship God. Don't judge those who struggle with longer periods of quiet or alone time. But if that's how you enjoy God the most, pull out12:51 those nostalgic playlists. Go to your solo spaces. And in the name of Jesus, enjoy God to the fullest. Find personal engaging ways to pray, meditate, and reflect. Make space for sacred moments and enjoy13:02 your private inside jokes with God. Okay. 2 more. The sixth is the thoughtsmith. This 1 isn't about being the smartest amongst your friends. It's about feeling closest to God when you learn13:14 something new about him. Such as when a familiar passage suddenly has a fresh meaning. When you've read and heard a story about Jesus for decades only to discover something new about it, it brings your soul to life in13:26 ways you can't express. You feel him closer. You wanna know more. A caterer in his thirties said, I enjoy listening to theology and apologetics from people I trust. Trust. Nerding out, I guess, on biblical principle.13:38 When I learn something new, I get so happy. I feel like I'm praising God inside of me. A biology product lead in her early forties said, my best time with God is quiet time outside. As a biology textbook editor,13:50 I encounter him in the details of life. You know, cellular and ecosystem processes. I love the way she said, you know, like, I had to laugh. No. I don't know. But, I know that she knows what she meant and14:02 that's how she experiences her creator. That's amazing. I heard stories of people feeling more connected with God once they studied and learned certain facts, dug deep into certain things about history and science. And14:13 for them, the study room, the research lab is the most sacred space. I'll tell you now, this is also 1 of my praise analogies. Engaging with my mind helps me engage with God in a deeper way. And if this is14:25 you, you connect with God through learning, curiosity, and new insights. Your mind is your primary avenue to worship. When scripture comes alive with new meaning, a truth clicks in a new way or when the history books and14:35 commentary show you something you've never seen before. Your soul comes to life. You love to study, question, and understand. Not out of pride, but because knowledge brings you closer to the 1 you're learning about.14:48 It makes your faith more real to you. For you, an moment of discovery is as powerful as any emotional experience in the place of learning more about God is your sacred space.15:00 Now a word of caution and encouragement for you. Be sure to be faithful in obeying God, not just in learning about God. Being closer to God should make you more humble. So as you discover more about him, resist pride,15:11 unnecessarily correcting others, or loving controversy and debate more than people and their hearts. As you pursue learning more about God, it should also empower you to see the world the way he does and help you love15:22 people better. And may your random findings and all the fun facts be a sacred fire that fuels your faith. When you feel exhausted or drained, consider a question you have that you wanna research. A book of the bible you15:33 wanna dig deep into or a person in the bible you wanna learn more about. This can also be a fun way to connect with others and study with others. Especially if it's 1 of their events too. Now the final praise and ality15:44 number 7 is the artist of people. This final temperament is for those of us who connect with God best through other people, our conversations and relationships with15:56 them. We were all created for community, but some of us have a natural bent towards it. A woman in her early sixties said teaching others through a woman's bible study, being a part of women's leadership bible study,16:07 time with friends and family, and being open to invite or receive an invitation from anyone in my path, that's how I connect with God best. A 39 year old man who had just started a business told16:19 me, talking about God with friends is my new favorite thing. An office admin in his late forties said that when he volunteers at church or in the community, he truly feels closer to God and grows to16:31 understand God and his love more. He said, I know it's not supposed to be about what you do and I don't think it's about what I do, but doing things with my hands for God and doing things for others makes me feel16:43 closer to God. I feel most myself that way. It just feels right. It just feels like worship. And it is. If you can relate, loving, serving, and caring for others might be your shortcut to God. This16:55 praise onality often includes a natural bent, poor hospitality, and serving others. For many, hosting and serving other people is a genuine way to encounter God. If this is you, you feel close to17:07 God in closeness with people, community, conversation, and connection. Relationships are your canvas. Deep conversations about faith, serving others, and sharing life with friends are your primary forms of worship.17:19 Whether through serving, volunteering, sharing a meal or having a heart to heart. You experience God through other people made in God's image. You may also have a love for stories. Real stories from real people17:31 and it brings your soul to life. People are your ministry and your mirror. You meet God as you love, encourage, and walk alongside of them. You don't care if it's seen or unseen. Either way, serving and enjoying people17:42 is a way you are wired to serve and enjoy God. Now a word of caution and encouragement. Guard your heart from burnout or a need to prove how well you show up for people. True worship serves God not17:54 personal validation. True worship is not about people loving you. It's about you loving God and others. While you serve people, make sure it's done out of love and not ego. As you show up for the needs of many, be sure18:06 to prioritize your loved ones and not neglect family in the name of helping others. Serving must come out of a place of love and surrender, not personal fulfillment or need to prove yourself. And when action does come18:18 out of genuine love, when it's truly connecting you to God and to people, that soup kitchen you're serving at, that Super Bowl party you're hosting, and that honest conversation you're having over hot wings and fries can18:29 be 1 of the holiest places in the world. Thank you for being an artist. The world is more beautiful because of you. Now I will tell you an artist of people is also 1 of my 3 primary18:41 praisinalities. And here is how I've seen all 3 play on my life. Just to give you an example. When I wanted to connect with God in a fresh way. When I wanted to release unholy and unrealistic expectations and overcomeEmbracing Your Wiring: Personal Application and Prayer 18:53 roadblocks standing between me and God, I first spent a lot of time alone with God. Interior expert, excavating all that was in me and bringing it to God and asking him to direct my thoughts. And in the19:04 quiet moments alone with God, reading John 15 on how to abide and asking God how to do it practically, I believe God gave me the idea to ask 1000 people how they connect with him. It came19:16 out of this solo sacred place. I believe God gave me the idea of going on a journey to see what abiding in Christ looks like practically. Enter, God Smith. Now I'm geeking out about Jesus's words19:28 in John 15 about vineyards and branches, and that brings me to the hills of Tuscany, which I shared with you about and to a cool research lab in Paso Robles, California, which I'll tell you about later. And as I research19:39 about vines and branches and vineyards, these light bulb moments are illuminating my soul. And then enter the artist of people. I loved having 1000 conversations. This research was not strenuous work. Time consuming,19:51 1000 percent. Yes. But hearing other people's stories was like being let in on sacred secrets, and it brought my soul to life. I spoke with vineyard workers, lab scientists and over 1000 people in different cultures with20:02 different backgrounds and different ages with different schedules about how this concept of connecting with God a part of their lives. And because of that, I began to see John 15 abiding and connecting with God. How it20:14 relates to real lives in a way I never have before and it changed my relationship with God for forever. Writing this book became an external outpouring of an internal transformation. I leaned into my20:26 praise alities and embraced how I'm wired and through that I encountered God more deeply. You are hearing about the fruits of a life of obeying God and worshiping God and enjoying God in the ways that I'm wired.20:37 So how are you wired? Which of these 7 praise analogies stick out to you? When you feel stuck or disconnected, how can you lean into how you are already created? How you're naturally wired? I encourage you20:49 to read this praise analogy chapter in the book uncomplicated. I've also included scriptures in there, from the old and new testament, stories of Jesus worshiping God as well through all of these ways. This would be a21:01 great way to dive into scripture and see how God has always from the beginning of time set us up for success to encounter him in our many unique ways. And as you think on which of these you relate to the most, remember.21:13 1, you likely will relate to more than 1 of these. 2, you might have different events in different seasons. Throughout your life, you might be all of them at different times and encounter God in each of these at some21:23 0.3, if you're not sure which praise andality sounds most like you, try a few things out. Experiment to see what makes you feel most like yourself and most connected with god. And 4, know that21:34 often god also calls us to do things outside our comfort. Just because you don't have a natural bent towards being an interior expert doesn't mean that God does not want to have a 1 on 1 alone time with you or21:46 that you don't need to reflect on what's going on within you and bring it to God. Just because you aren't a natural soul fire or a natural sacred space seeker doesn't mean God might not call you to take a step of faith21:57 in different expressions of worship. It is often helpful and holy to stretch ourselves a little beyond our comfort zones of faith. And it's also good to recognize the beauty of the ways we are22:08 wired so that when you are spiritually and emotionally exhausted and unsure of how to connect you can steer into your skin and allow others to steer into theirs. As we lean into our unique22:20 details quirks and temperaments that God created us with and as we acknowledge the beautiful uniqueness in others as well, do you know what I believe will happen? I believe we will actually encounter God more22:31 and more freely. I believe we will take back the joy that legalism once stole from us. We will feel less shame. We will be less judgmental. We will be more gracious. We will free up others to encounter God more deeply22:43 in their own ways. And we will each experience God for real without comparison, without shame, and without any ounce of faking it. And what a beautiful, quirky, authentic, and worshipful22:55 world that would be. Here are some questions to consider today. The best way to dive deeper and fuller into this message is to also read uncomplicated. There's so much more for you there. But today, think on these23:07 questions. How does understanding your personality and praise onality help you connect with God? What praise onalities do you identify with most? What surprised you most about how you're23:19 wired to worship? What stood out to you? How can you celebrate the unique ways others connect with God, especially when their way looks different from yours? What would it look like for you to worship God through your23:30 natural bent this week? What would it look like if we all felt free to do that? Let's pray together. God, thank you for creating each of us uniquely. Thank you for reminding us that our23:42 personality and natural tendencies are gifts, not obstacles. Teach us to embrace the ways you've wired us to connect with you and to celebrate the unique ways others experience you as well. God, we23:54 praise you that the weird and the funny and the quirky stuff counts, and it was made. We were made on purpose. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Amen.In this video 0:00 Overcoming Roadblocks: Your Personality as a Shortcut to God1:44 Unveiling Your Praiseonality: Seven Unique Ways to Worship18:42 Embracing Your Wiring: Personal Application and Prayer
Kingdom Voices
Apr 13
Comments No comments yet. Start the conversation.
Kingdom Voices
Comments
Keep it kind. Comments are public.