When people praise God despite difficulties, it makes you stop and think: how can they do that? A friend lost their 12-year-old daughter in a freak accident at a county fair, yet they still praised God for the time the Lord had given her to them. What enabled this family to mourn and still praise God? The answer to that question is their relationship with Jesus.
Jesus came to earth to give His life for us. When you ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and put your faith in Him, your life is forever changed. Jesus not only paid the price for our sins but also rose from the dead after three days in the tomb.
This reminds me of the chorus of a favorite hymn, Because He Lives. “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow! Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, and life is worth living, just because He lives.”[1] Today, you may be facing a situation that feels overwhelming, almost like waves constantly pounding you. If you are, take the hand of Jesus, who is our rock in the storms of life.
Being in the Lord’s Presence
As Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus came to the Temple for the purification offering, they encountered an older woman named Anna. Life had not been easy for her, but that did not quench her relationship with the Lord. Luke 2:36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer.[2]
Like many people of faith, Anna discovered that the true meaning of life was not about herself, but about God. You can easily imagine the joy and love for God that shone through her. If you have ever met someone who lived to praise God, it was a gift from the Lord. While others might have become bitter, Anna found peace in being in the Lord’s presence.
God Changes Our Perspective
When we praise God during tough times, it shifts our perspective. We no longer focus on ourselves but look up to God, from whom our help comes. Philippians 3:13 But I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.[3]
Anna could have fallen into despair as a widow through most of her adult life, but she chose to focus on the Lord. 1 John 2:17And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. [4]
God has a special plan just for you, and He desires to fill your life with purpose. Your talents, your thoughts, your heart, and your hands are all precious to Him, and He loves seeing you use them to make a difference. With God’s help, we can choose to praise despite our difficulties. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/the-gifts-of-praise
[1] https://gccsatx.com/hymns/because-he-lives/
[2-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.