Praise that liberates!

Do you ever say to yourself that your wounds are so deep that nothing could heal them? That your past is so horrible that nothing could ease the suffering it causes you? There is hope for you…God has given you a powerful weapon in the face of all this: praise!

When you praise God, you abandon yourself before Him. You express your love to Him, expecting nothing in return. It’s a time of intense communion and intimacy that allows you to enter into the presence of the King of Kings. The Bible says in James 4:8, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…” (NKJV)  

God’s presence…

• Heals you,
• Liberates you from your wounds,
• Heals you from your past,
• Comforts you about whatever is causing you grief or pain.

And so many things may cause grief and pain. The medical test came back positive. Your spouse wants a divorce. Your child turned away from the Lord. COVID-19 has changed your world. Do you sometimes feel God doesn’t come through the way you thought or hoped He would? He may seem far away, and praise might be the last thing you want to do.

Yes, praising God in times like these does require sacrifice. The Bible says in Hebrews 13:15, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”  By Him, with His help, you can praise God from your spirit and honor Him in the midst of the trials you’re experiencing.

When you bring this “sacrifice of praise,” your awareness of the greatness and power of God becomes stronger and stronger. Your trust in Him grows, and your love for God replaces your negative feelings and wounds. So, praise truly heals you internally and frees you from shame. It empowers you to move out of the vicious cycle of complaining, sadness, and discontentment and enter into joy.

So, today, I encourage you to press past those feelings and honor Him with your praise…He is worthy of it all!  

Let’s pray together…“Today, Lord, I want to worship You. I want to turn to You…perhaps as I’ve never done before. No matter my circumstances, I want to lift You up, sing to You, recognize everything good You’re doing for me, and THANK You. Help me to leave this place of complaints and discontentment, sadness and frustration, and fully enter into a dimension of gratitude, thankfulness, and praise to You. Thank You for the healing taking place in my life and heart. May Your marvelous name be blessed and glorified! You are my God. Thank You, Jesus! Amen.”