October 29, 2024
It’s easy to feel thankful after a prayer has been answered, right? But maintaining a posture of praise each day, no matter what comes our way, is the real challenge. David wrote, “I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises” (Psalm 34:1, New Living Translation). Keep in mind that Psalm 34 wasn’t written when David was sitting on his throne, living in comfort and prosperity; it was written when David was running from King Saul, who was trying to kill him.
Why should we praise God no matter our circumstances? There are 6 reasons to practice a posture of praise.
A posture of praise—especially when we haven’t received an answer to a prayer— shows trust and faith.
Before we even pray, we can rest in God and know He will answer our prayer according to His will. The answer may be yes, no, or maybe, but we can praise God anyway.
A posture of praise is a thermometer that reveals the temperature of our spiritual life.
We claim to trust the Lord and have faith, but do we truly? Praising the Lord, regardless of our circumstances, demonstrates the strength of our spiritual life.
A posture of praise shows our capacity and ability for intimacy with God and others.
God never meant for us to live lonely lives. But sometimes shame, guilt, and secrets we keep can make us put up a wall between us and others. When we confess our struggles and are vulnerable, we can be honest with God and others. Repairing our vertical relationship with God will help our horizontal relationship with others begin to heal.
A posture of praise is a weapon that we can use against idolatry.
God created us to worship, so we all worship something. Anything—or anyone—we worship in the place of God is an idol. Some idols worshipped today are material possessions, success, and even people, to name a few. But praise is a weapon that we, as believers in Christ, can use to break our bondage to an idol. Our worship and allegiance should be in Christ alone.
A posture of praise lifts our spirits and reduces our fears.
So often, we live in a fearful place. When we face a brutal battle, we feel like we might as well give up. Instead of focusing on what could go wrong, we must focus on the One who has already won the battle for us…Christ!
A posture of praise helps us sense God’s presence.
When our prayers go unanswered, dreams get demolished, and all hope seems lost, it’s easy to wonder where God is. This is when we must remember to thank God for what He has done in our lives. The more we praise God, the more we see Him at work. Praising God for how faithful He has been in the past will enable us to trust Him for our future.
Want to grow in your relationship with God and others? Please call us at 800-NEW-LIFE (639-5433) for prayer, help finding a counselor or coach, and to get connected to a Life Recovery Group.
by Dr. Jill Hubbard
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