Psalm 103:1
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
This week I have been putting to practice 1 Thessalonians 5:8 "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Let me tell you, it has been amazing! My circumstances haven't changed, my trials are still here, my children are still crazy, my house is still not perfect...nothing about my surroundings has changed. But, I am truly living in a whole new world. My heart and mind have been transformed. My attitude has changed and my perspective is different.
As I have been going about my day I make sure to praise Him in every circumstances. When Sunday wakes up an hour earlier than normal, "I praise you Lord that I get this extra time with Sunday today, How can I make the most of it?" Elijah is having a hard time getting his school work done today, "I praise you Lord that he gets to have his bad days here in the safety of our home and in a place where nobody could love him better." Sunday takes off her diaper and poops on the floor, true story, "I praise you God, she must be ready to potty train." When things happen that I don't understand, I can look to the Lord and say "I praise you God, because even though I don't understand what is happening in my life right now, I know that you work all things together for my good and I trust you." When the sun is shinning, "I praise you Lord because I live in Oregon and it is truly a miracle!" When my kids are all coloring quietly at the table together, "I praise you Lord for the moment of silence and for the time spent in peace and harmony." There is something to praise the Lord about every minute of every day, and living life with a heart that seeks to praise the One who made me, has changed me.
I love this quote from Catherine Marshall, "Praise will wash away my resentments...I was to do it despite my lack of joy -simply because God told me to. True praise grows out of the recognition and acknowledgement that in His time God will bring good out of bad. There is the intolerable on one hand and the fulfillment of Romans 8:28 on the other."
Romans 8:28 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
God commands us to praise Him, to be joyful and to be thankful in all circumstances. It's not merely a suggestion, its a command. If you have a little rebellious streak in you, like I do, the word command sounds a little bit harsh and it makes me me feel confined and restricted. But God asks us to praise Him, be joyful and be thankful because HE knows that it is what is best for us. He made us after all, he knows how our hearts and minds work and what we need to function at our best. He knows what brings out the best in us. Surely only looking inside ourselves, our needs and our circumstance does not bring the fulfillment and contentment that we need to thrive. When we take our eyes off ourselves it's not confining or restricting at all....it's freeing. The truth is, when I praise God through in all circumstances, step outside of myself and all that consumes me, I am no longer shackled to my trials, my burdens or my circumstances. Looking to Him and praising Him frees me up to see the greater picture. What once seemed overwhelming and all consuming is now one more reason to praise Him, trust Him and watch Him work in me and my life for good. Praise the Lord that he knows my inner workings and what is going to help me to thrive, and bring the most glory to Him in my short, mist-like existence. Praise the Lord that He knew we all needed something more to live for then our frail human selves. Praise the Lord that He is worthy of all our praise - He loves us, heals us, guides us and saves us, may we strive to give Him the praise he deserves!
This week has been life changing for me and I pray it is just the beginnings of His great work in me. It has changed the way that I respond to situations, changed my attitude and expectations. My marriage has benefited from my happy, eager to please, and quick to love heart. I feel as though the Lord is changing me from the inside out. I have found that my heart of praise has trickled down to my kids and as they have faced certain challenges and bad attitudes. I have had them list the things they can thank the Lord for. As I sat on the side of Hope's bed last night, she was discouraged and we took the time to list all the things we can praise the Lord for. The list could have been unending. We praised God for our home, food to eat, beds to sleep in, comfy blankets, pillows, clothes to wear, school, teachers, our church, a bother and sisters that love her, parents that love her and each other, a God that loves her, salvation, a back yard to play in, friends, chocolate milk.....a nice tush, a nice face....before you know it she was laughing and ending her day with a thankful heart and a smile on her face. As a parent, teaching her to have a thankful heart is one of the best gifts I can give her.
It is absolutely amazing what praise can cultivate on our hearts. We were made to worship Him. There is no doubt about it. When we live how He made us to live, it is absolutely transforming. May you and I live our lives with outstretched arms, giving praise to the one who breathed His life into our beings, saved us and paid for our ressurection. May our praise bring Him glory and continually transform us into His likeness day after day.
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
Psalm 105:1
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
Psalm 113:3
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.
Psalm 146:2
I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Psalm 68:19
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
Psalm 117:2
For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.Praise the Lord.
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