Turn Problems to Praise
A mouth full of praise has no room to talk about others.
My morning starts with bible study and the last few months my husband and another couple have been sharing a journey through a daily devotional that we moms did several years back. I found my notebook from that first study and have been reviewing it as part of my morning time. This morning the idea of praise stood out.
Things have not been easy these last few days. My neighbor has been complaining. My husband has been complaining. The weather has NOT been cooperating. And a person I thought was a friend attacked me from a blind side. Attacks do not normally bother me, but being blindsided is never any fun.
Praise seems like the least likely thing for me to do in these situations. I was talking with my mom yesterday about it all and the negatives kept creeping their way into the conversation. Times are tough.
This morning I get it. The praise comes from my focus on my God and not on my situations. I am giving praise for HIM and not the trials. No matter how bad things are – and I mean NO MATTER! – God is always worthy to be praised. When I praise my Father then there is no longer room for the negative stuff in my mouth, in my mind or in my heart. He pushes it all away.
Today the urge to moan or complain will be combated with a praise song, a psalm or a prayer. Giving praise to God recharges my heart and gives me the strength to carry on. Take some time right now to offer God a word or song of praise and see if you are not smiling when you are done!
God calls us to give Him praise because He knows that there is power in the positive and there is AWESOME power in the Praises of God.
