Do you want to feel and be uplifted? I think we all do, and one way to do it is to begin by praising the Lord no matter what your circumstances are.
Exodus 15:2 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him— my father’s God, and I will exalt him! [1]
1 Chronicles 16:25 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods. [2]
Give Honor to God in Your Praise
We have so much to praise God for, there’s great power in giving honor to Him. The Scripture is filled with examples of praise when we see His power released in life-changing miracles, dramatic stories of the enemy being halted or defeated, and hearts being changed and drawn closer to Him.
But sometimes it really is a sacrifice to offer praise. We may not feel like it. We’re struggling. We’re weary. Or maybe, we feel like He let us down. We think God seems distant, like He’s far away, or doesn’t really care about what’s troubling us. Painful life blows and losses might have recently sent us spiraling. When Naomi left Moab, she was struggling to praise God and felt the Lord had let her down, but God was at work in a way she could not see.
Here’s what can make a lasting difference. When we make that decision to fix our eyes on Him, and daily give Him praise, no matter what’s staring us straight in the face, we suddenly realize that God has already begun to release the grip those struggles can have over us.
Naomi Praises God
Naomi thought the Lord was against her, but the Lord proved that He was for her. In a way only the Lord could unfold, He provided a husband and a child for her widowed daughter-in-law Ruth. This would be life changing for both Naomi and Ruth.
Ruth 4:14 Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel.[3]
Our Spirits are Refreshed and Renewed in His Presence.
We’re strengthened by His peace and refueled by His joy. Through a heart of praise, we realize that God doesn’t just change our situations and work through our problems, He changes our hearts. Psalm 16:11In His presence, there is fullness of joy.
To hear more about praising the Lord, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/seeking-the-lord-changes-my-life-ruth-part-2
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.