You Become What You Worship: Redefining Worship, Identity, and Daily Obedience

Who or what defines your identity? That’s the question at the heart of Ep. 219 | You Become What You Worship, where Nick Surface and Josh Craft unpack how worship—and what you valorize daily—shapes who you become.

If you’ve ever wondered why your desires feel empty or your pursuits substitute for purpose, this conversation explains what’s behind it: worship isn’t just music in a sanctuary—it’s what captures your attention, shapes your identity, and orders your choices.

“Whatever you worship—whether it’s success, approval, or comfort—you gradually become like it.” — Josh Craft

What Worship Really Is (and Isn’t)

Josh begins by clarifying a critical misunderstanding: worship isn’t just singing or church gatherings—it’s what you serve, whether consciously or unconsciously.

Drawing from Psalm 115:8, Josh says:

“They that make idols become like them.”
In other words, when people elevate anything above God, they take on its character.

Nick amplifies by saying worship is revealed in the small decisions: what you spend your time thinking about, what you protect fiercely, and what you sacrifice for.

This episode reframes worship away from ritual and toward object and orientation. It asks: What or who are you actually living for?

Abraham and Isaac: The First Teaching on Sacrificial Worship

The hosts pivot to the “law of first mention,” starting with Genesis 22, where Abraham is told to offer Isaac.

Nick unpacks the heart of the story: worship was never about rules—it was about response. When Abraham obeyed, he offered his most treasured possession.

“Worship is not emotion—it’s surrender. When you worship God with your most loved thing, you’ve learned what worship truly costs.” — Nick Surface

That moment becomes a powerful metaphor—because worship shaped Abraham's identity and legacy, not just his behavior.

Daily Obsession Is Worship

Josh and Nick explore how our daily habits form condition our worship. The inbox, the routine, the scroll each become altars where we place our value.

Josh explains that even neutral-seeming habits—like media consumption or busyness—can become idols if they consistently steal our attention or shape our desires unfairly.

“Worship isn’t just about what you do on Sunday. It’s what you cling to Monday through Saturday.” — Josh Craft

What you prioritize becomes what forms you, moment by moment, until you become defined by it.

The Dangers of Modern Idols

A key section of the episode addresses the modern idols men worship in disguise:

• Success — as a metric or status, rather than stewardship

• Comfort — as peace instead of crucifixion

• Approval — as identity instead of validation from God

• Performance — as identity instead of humility

Josh shares how men who pursue success often lose sight of character, and those who chase comfort often lose sight of calling.

He underscores:

“You’ll never transform if your worship is shaped by applause, not conviction.”

Hebrew & Greek Worship: Serving with Trust

Josh dives into the original languages of worship. In Hebrew, the word has shades of service, trust, and permanence. In Greek, it's about living under a lordship.

The subtle but critical shift:
Worship isn't just singing—it's surrender.

Nick adds: men need to live their worship beyond music—act like they believe what they say they serve. He challenges the listener:

“If worship is real—that means serving arrays of truth in your work, speech, and decisions—not just on Sundays.”

Implications for Identity and Calling

Josh drives home the link between worship and identity:

• If you worship approval, you become insecure

• If you worship validation, you live performance anxiety

• If you worship achievement, rest becomes alien

He challenges:

“Your soul was meant to be shaped by worship. Make sure you worship the right thing.”

Nick concludes by reminding men that identity flows from worship—not the other way around. You don’t chase purpose first—you live surrendered to your worship, and the purpose emerges.

Final Thoughts: Choose What You Become

This episode is less about theology and more about life. It reminds listeners that they aren’t accidents floating through culture—they are made to worship something. And whatever that something is, it becomes them.

“Stop asking ‘Who am I?’ and ask instead ‘Who am I worshiping?’” — Josh Craft

Choose well. Obey daily. Because your worship patterns now are shaping who you’ll be later.