Photo by Lee Hays
Last week I wrote about how we should praise God no matter what we are going through… I was shocked and a little saddened that there are many others going through some dark and desolate times right now.
Since I’ve received several responses like, “Ohhh…I needed that” it’s led me to wonder what praise really is and why it’s so important for us to do.
O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. Isaiah 25:1
According to Webster’s Dictionary, praise can be a noun and a verb. As a noun, praise is defined as the expression of approval or admiration for someone or something. As a verb, it is to express warm approval or admiration and to express love, gratitude and respect.
I’m sure none of those definitions come as any big surprise, but I think the meanings can help us figure out what we should be doing in order to give God the praise that He so rightly deserves.
- Approve
- Admire
- Love
- Be grateful
- Respect
Each of those five things above gives us a hint of how we can praise God on a regular basis. And what if we actually DID THEM regardless of our current situations?
I would dare say that we would be happier, calmer, more peaceful, and in tune with where we go from here. Our steps with praise may not lead us to a better place right away, but each step gets us closer.
Think about it. Even in our worst trials we can always:
- Approve of God’s love for us.
- Admire God’s amazing handy work.
- Love Him for loving us first.
- Be grateful that we aren’t alone.
- Respect that God knows what He is doing in our lives.
A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 100:1-5
God loves us right where we are. And He continues to love us even when we aren’t very loveable. That makes Him that much more worthy of our praise in my book!
We may not know why we go through hardships, but the dark always makes us appreciate the light when it finally comes.
Some Wisdom for Today: Proverbs 16:7 – When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Meg. Thank you so much for sharing. I do so enjoy your column. I walk my dogs every night and praise Him for all my blessings in good and hard times. I always come home with an uplifted soul. Keep on sharing! Jennifer