Two-minute read.
“Praise God!”
Thanking the Lord for the work He does in our lives causes us to shout for joy. Successful surgeries, safe travels, reconciled relationships, healthy babies, divine provision, miraculous healings, new faith commitments, from big to small actions, we can shout for joy at God’s work in our lives. Leaning into the joy of the Lord for strength, we will find it and discover a million plus one reasons to sing the Savior’s praises.
God delivers us from our problems, and when He does, we can’t help but praise Him. Miracles unfold when we trust and believe. Life’s uncertainty brings us to our knees. Often, we wonder why things happen, but if those struggles didn’t occur, would we turn to the Creator for help? How can we have a relationship with someone we don’t seek?
One sermon illustration always comes to mind when discussing deliverance. A recovering alcoholic asks his pastor a question.
“Why doesn’t God take my desire to drink away?
“Well, what do you do when you feel like drinking?”
“I get on my knees and pray.”
“Would you get on your knees if you didn’t want a drink?”
Most of us wouldn’t. When we think we have things under control, we typically don’t get on our knees. During my single years, I would desperately cry out to God for a mate. Then, when someone came into my life, I thought the Lord had answered my prayer. I promptly forgot the Savior, and the new guy became my priority, until the relationship failed and I found myself once again back on my knees. The transformation occurred when I kept the Lord as my priority, especially when I met a potential mate. As I kept God first in my life, my relationships became healthier, and I realized the truth of Ecclesiastes 4:12: “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
Tie yourself to the Savior, rely on Him in all circumstances, live in His joy, shout His praises, and gain His strength.
Journal Questions:
When did you shout praises to the Lord last?
What brings you to your knees before God?
In what ways can you strengthen your relationships by adding the third cord of Jesus?
Joyful Application:
List ten reasons to shout praises of joy to God.
