Two-minute read.
God never sleeps; every minute that passes unfolds more of His plan for our lives and the world. Jesus connects us to the Creator, giving us access to His purpose for our lives. Since the Creator never stops working out His purposes for us, no matter what the situation, we have reasons to praise Him. When we make praise a lifestyle, we’ll look for the Lord’s movement, and we will find it, even on the darkest days.
Years ago, I had a friend struggling financially. Driving an older car, it had many problems. No money to buy anything except the absolute necessities, every penny got counted. From my perspective at the time, I didn’t see much good in her situation. But I will never forget her faithfulness.
“Thank God for our car!” I remember her saying. Her sincerity and utter praise for the Lord struck me. From my viewpoint, she had many reasons to question the Savior for the situation she found herself in that day. But a lifelong, devoted follower of Christ, she didn’t focus on what she didn’t have; she praised God for what they did have. And they had a car that worked, no matter its age.
We don’t need the latest bells and whistles of a new vehicle, phone, or home. Jesus never rode in a car; He used a donkey to make His grand entrance into Jerusalem that Passover Day long ago. My friend taught me a lesson in living a lifestyle of praise, and I haven’t forgotten it decades later. Focus on what you do have, not what you don’t have. Praise God for the blessings He’s given you, don’t worry about the rest.
When we begin looking for things to praise God for in our circumstances, we will find them. During my stay in the hospital with life-threatening blood clots, I didn’t focus on the clump clogging my vein. Instead, I thanked God for the doctors and nurses who cared for me. I got to know their names, and I prayed for them. Praising the Lord for the technology that allowed the surgeon to remove the clot, as well as the medicine that helped heal me, didn’t take much effort. I will never forget singing praise and worship songs from my hospital bed, thankful for all the Lord did for me during that time.
Living a lifestyle of praise does take intention. Sometimes we will find things to thank God for with ease, other times, it might require more effort. But we can always find something to thank the Savior for if we look hard enough. We can count every breath we take as a gift from God, and we take between 17,000 and 23,0000 breaths a day, which means we have something to praise God for without even having to look for it.
Journal Questions:
Do you tend to find things to praise or criticize in life?
List ten things you can praise God for today.
What can you do to develop a lifestyle of praise?
Application:
Offer praise as a continual offering.
