The hindrances to our worship grow out of the very things in our lives that keep us from acknowledging His presence, not only in our private and corporate worship . . . but in our daily living.
Fear, doubt, worry, depression, anxiety, . . . on and on we could go. These things ultimately are sin because our spiritual eyes are on self and circumstances - rather than on Him. In the midst of these things, we are failing to acknowledge His presence. We are failing to trust in Him. We are living like practicing atheists, as opposed to living as those who are redeemed and kept in His love. These kinds of things in our lives are sin and sometimes we also have a particular sin which has a hold on our lives that keeps us from worship and praise.
The importance of acknowledging our sin before God and asking forgiveness is absolutely a prerequisite to effective worship. We can not expect to come into His presence holding on to sin. We are promised that "if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9) That is only one of the passages that deals with our sin and forgiveness. Isaiah 6 also talks about sin and God's forgiveness and of course there are many other passages that do, as well. We as Baptists have tended to shy away from confession of sin, especially in our corporate worship, because of our perception of the mis-use of confession by other groups. But I believe more awareness of this in our worship would not only be healthy but would actually un-hinder our worship.
We need to acknowledge His presence and acknowledge our sin if we are to worship Him in freedom. mjm
