Praising God during persecution is difficult, but we can with the Lord’s help. Praise is like turning on a light in a dark room. Have you ever noticed that praising God changes the spiritual atmosphere? Instead of complaining when your day isn’t going well, praise God and see how that can change things. As I was looking for the right verse for this devotion, God showed me the Psalm below and lifted me up as I read it. This is what praising God does!
Psalm 148:1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens! Praise him from the skies! 2 Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all the armies of heaven! 3 Praise him, sun and moon! Praise him, all you twinkling stars! 4 Praise him, skies above! Praise him, vapors high above the clouds! 5 Let every created thing give praise to the Lord, for he issued his command, and they came into being. [1]
Praise the Lord; He Sets People Free!
Paul and Silas had cast out the demon in the slave girl who told fortunes. She was set free, but there would be pushback. Acts 16:19 Her masters’ hopes of wealth were now shattered, so they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace. 20 “The whole city is in an uproar because of these Jews!” they shouted to the city officials. 21 “They are teaching customs that are illegal for us Romans to practice.”
22 A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23 They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. 24 So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks. 25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.[2]
Did you notice what Paul and Silas were doing? They were praising God and letting the Lord shine through them. Also, other prisoners were listening to them. Their praises of God were infectious and made a difference in the lives around them.
Praise Takes the Focus Off Ourselves and Back on God
In our self-focused world, we need a constant reminder that life is not all about us. We’re prone to selfishness, and God desires our eyes be set firmly on Him because that’s where we find our true hope. Psalm 150:2 Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! [3]
Praise also pushes back the darkness surrounding us, blocking the attacks and lies over us. Evil will not stick around if we’re praising our God. As we praise, we are focused on Him instead of absorbed in our struggles.
To learn about praising God during persecution, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/light-in-prison
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.