I have heard in the media a couple of times recently that this particular generation of youth can be described as the “anxious generation.” There are also several documentaries alluding to increased dependence on anti-depression or anti-anxiety pills, in view of the present-day mental or emotional state of not just the youth, but even adults.
While there may be a host of arguments about these facts, including where this epidemic of sadness and hopelessness comes from, followers of Jesus like us have an access to antidote to the poison of despair, loneliness, and fear or worries of the unknown. The antidote we are talking about is PRAISE. Praise raised to our Heavenly Father who knows all things, and has control over everything.
“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.” Psalm 13:5-6
One of the Bible’s greatest exhorters is King David, who lived a life of praise. He led His people to praise God in both good and bad times. He praised God when He is happy, He praised God when He is in despair. He Praised Him when he is alone, and He exhorted others, and even His whole nation to praise and worship the Lord as a group of thankful people.
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” Psalm 105:1-4
David may not have been a perfect person — He fell into really grievous sins like murder and adultery, — but He was able to rise up from it and move on because He knew how to revive His soul. And this is by writing and singing psalms and hymns that point to His God, who has delivered Him from troubles time and again, who made a promise to protect him and his lineage, and whose presence He continues to count on.
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:11
When we praise God, we remind ourselves that we did not achieve the good things in our lives due to our own strength and power. We get to remember that there is a God who is in control of everything. Even if we do the best that we can, if it is not according to His plan, our efforts will be in vain. But at the same breath, if we give it all we’ve got, pray to Him about it, and wait for His own good time, we might just see a miracle unfold in our life.
And so even if the season we are in does not seem like a season we can thank God for, all the more we should praise Him and remember the many times He has carried us through. By doing this, we dilute the poison in our minds that tells us that there is nothing we can do to get out of the bad place we are in, that we can never endure the consequences of our failures, and that what we have done is unforgivable and we will die a sinful person.
When we praise and thank Him for everything He has done and is doing in our lives, we get to remember that the outcome of the things we are scared of, or what we are trying to control, is not in our hands. We will get to realize that there is a Creator, who can make miracles if He wants to, and His great plans were already in place even before we were born.
“LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago.” Isaiah 25:1`
The same mindset was also in a bible character named Job. Who in spite of being righteous, lost everything — his business, his money, his children — all in one day. He still chose to praise God though, after all that He has been through.
“At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.” Job 1:20-21
Another story along these lines that comes to mind was when the Apostle Paul and Silas was imprisoned. The Book of the Acts in the New Testament narrated that Instead of being in despair because of their situation, the two chose to praise God.
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” Acts 16:25-26
And while the above passage may seem magical to some, it all holds true for us followers of Jesus of this current time. When we are imprisoned in worries, fears, anxieties, regrets, anger, and repression, praising God and worshipping Him can free us from these spiritual enslavements that bog us down. How? It reminds us of God’s truth, mercy, and ACTUAL work in our lives. We get to be reminded how He came to rescue us and help us endure our past troubles. It also calls to mind everything we have read about Him in the Bible, the testimonies we have heard, His loving and true character, and His promises we dare claim.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7
And so how do we praise God in our lives? Practically speaking there are a lot of ways, depending of course on your personality. Most people praise God while praying, either during their own Quiet Time prayer, or when praying with others. Other people praise Him through singing — so do not just belt it out during Sunday worship, sing praise songs even in your house, in your car, and even in school or in the office breakroom.
Other forms of praise include recounting all the many times God has come to your rescue either through a journal or during a personal prayer time. Some people witness to others either in spontaneous conversations or by giving a testimony to a group of audience. Another form of praise is when we meditate on His word, and spread it to others, either by talking or creative artform.
The bottomline is, we should not confine our praises during Sundays. We should do iit everyday to acknowledge God’s presence in our life, to invite Him to be with us, to thank Him for His kindness, and to keep us from worrying unnecessarily about things that we do not have control over. Because when we praise Him and acknowledge His sovereignty, we in effect tell ourselves that our life does not depend on our own abilities, strengths, action, and bank account. It depends on the will of the Sovereign King that we worship, and if we are the daughter the King, do we think He will think twice about giving us only what’s best for us?
“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.” Psalm 13:5-6
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Acts 16:16-36 and Psalm 105 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you try to praise God all the time? What keeps you from praising Him?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, allow me to thank you for everything you have brought into my life. Thank you for both the good and bad times. I know the good was meant to nourish my soul, and the bad were the ones that helped grow my faith in you. Give me the confidence to continue praising you whether I am alone or with others. Give me as well the opportunity to encourage others to give you praise. Amen.
“But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.” Psalm 13:5-6
