Just Praise Him
by Steve Countryman

I know it sounds so simple, just praise Him. Lately I needed reminding of that phrase. I had been told it before and had heard confirmation on it, how you are to praise God in the storm. In the middle of your troubles, trials, circumstances, problems, headaches, sorrow, grief, despair, depression and anger just praise God. While going through some things lately, I found myself praying over the same issues. I know that we are not to keep praying and repeating ourselves in our prayers like the heathens do, but the Bible also says to be diligent and persistent in your prayers like the widow before the unjust judge. Keep in mind that you are responsible for your own conduct, character and situations regardless how you ended up there.

I became somewhat fearful of committing the same sins and missed opportunities that caused me to end up repeating parts of my prayers. It felt like a vicious circle. That is when God reminded me to praise Him. Every time I found myself in a situation of temptation or trouble, if I would get my eyes back on Him and start praising Him that I would be delivered from it. "Praise Him in the storm!" Regardless of the troubles that you are going through, God is always good and worthy of your praise! "The joy of the Lord is my strength." Think about that phrase. Look at what can be found in the joy of the Lord peace, contentment, quietness, happiness, rest, calmness, blessed assurance, faith, trust, hope and of course strength. If the Lord is full of joy than He isn't worried, fearful, afraid, uncertain, unsure, nervous or excited. He holds your future in His hands. "What can man do to you?" "If God is for you then who can be against you?" Knowing that should give you strength. What a great reason to praise Him!

Now that is a reality check! The more I think about it the more it makes perfect sense. God loves to work with His children when they are receptive, that being a willing heart and joyful spirit. On the other hand if you find yourself mumbling, grumbling, angry, murmuring, whining and complaining then you give God nothing to operate with. You basically close off yourself to others and to God because your focus becomes inward. God inhabits the praises of His people not the complaining and whining of His people. Application is the key and lately there have been plenty of opportunities to apply that which God has shown me. My biggest problem is me! It is one thing to have knowledge and be knowledgeable but it is quite another to apply them in your daily life. Being a Christian and having received revelation doesn't mean that it stops with you. Depending on that revelation and how it is to be applied is something that can be a blessing to other fellow believers. Now having received revelation and only sharing it with others doesn't replace personal daily or regular application of it.

I shouldn't be such a slow learner! Countless times have come and gone where I didn't apply God's revelation and wisdom from His Word to my opportunities. I always kick myself for having missed those moments and then suffered for them accordingly. When you praise God for ALL of the wonderful and countless things that He does and blesses you with everyday, you slowly pull your eyes off of your problems and fix your gaze on Jehovah Jireh, God your provider! It is the natural that wants to whine, complain and blame others. It isn't natural to start praising God in the middle of your troubles but it sure is the right thing to do! I guarantee that your attitude will change. Psalm 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabit the praises of your people. Now instead of being closed off and unreceptive because of your irritable moods, you now are open minded and receptive to God's help and strategy for your life and life's problems. Praising God brings joy to your spirit. Praising God brings peace to your soul. Praising God builds up your faith and trust. Praising God brings God to your situation. Praising God brings God's wisdom and solutions to your problems. It is not that all of your problems will disappear, it is that by praising God invites God into your problems to help you get through them. Everyone has problems and troubles, both sinner and saint. People will notice your strength and wonder how you survived your troubles. That is when you let them know that it wasn't your strength but God's strength in you that got you through it!


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