Praise

Praise has a way of getting God’s attention. There’s power in it. Our God inhabits the praises of His people. When we praise Him, it’s as though He bends down a little closer and says, “Bless your heart. Now what can I do for you, child? How can bless YOU?”

Getting God’s attention is a good thing for us. Not so good for the enemy. For this reason he has a vested interest in keeping us from focusing on our blessings. His ploy is to keep us mired in the muck of our circumstances. Life is truly like a bed of roses. The roses are there, but so are the thorns and the fertilizer. The trick is to stay focused on the roses.

Sometimes when the conditions I’m in are pitiful, I find myself gritting my teeth and announcing Psalm 34:1: 

"I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will continually be in my mouth."

When I’m tempted to fall into despair or allow the weight of my circumstances to crush me, I say it. I will and I choose to praise the God of all creation in spite of my circumstances.

No matter what happens, God is good. I give thanks because He is good. I choose to acknowledge Him for His excellent greatness. I praise Him for everything including answered prayers, a beautiful day, a good parking place, a way out of the circumstances (even if I don’t see one), people I love, and so on.

And then an unusual thing happens. I find I am no longer frowning. My smile is no longer forced. From deep down in my spirit something begins to bubble up inside. It's something that goes beyond just happiness. It's called JOY! Happiness is dependent on circumstances, but joy comes to those who know there is nothing magical about hope. Joy is the reward of those whose faith and hope is in Jesus Christ. His joy becomes my strength and I can face whatever comes my way with a smile on my face and a song in my heart.