A Praise a Day

Have you ever had one of those days where one thing after another went wrong? Maybe you woke up believing your day held a particular plan of what you already knew would be taking place; but plans cancelled, and other situations you couldn’t have imagined happened instead. It’s an emotional shock to the system. Unexpected occurrences of pain and sorrow in our lives dulls our joy, perhaps sinking it completely into a sea of vast worry. Inner peace? That goes out the window, and thoughts of anything producing hope seems but a faraway, fanciful dream. We’ve all experienced these unwanted, unsuspected events that steals away treasured serenity like thieves that break through and steal. But wait! That is exactly what has happened! The thief himself has come in uninvited to kill our joy, steal our peace, and destroy all hopes of anything getting better (John 10:10). What can we do?

I was mulling over these thoughts when Psalm 9:1 came to mind: I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things You have done (NLT). Praise is the antidote to worry and shattered peace of heart. Notice David wrote in this verse, I will tell of the marvelous things You have done. That’s a particular secret to rebuilding lost joy and shattered hope. When we deliberately take time to remember what the Lord has done for us in our yesterdays, and that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), those truths begin to ease away worry. Feelings of despair are replaced with certainty of hope. The key? Praising. Praising makes us remember how much our Father loves us. Praising keeps our thoughts concentrated on all God can do, rather than upon the present hurt that is taking place. Praising produces holy hope; this kind cannot be destroyed.

You have heard the saying — an apple a day keeps the doctor away. It’s true in our spiritual worlds, too — a praise a day keeps the worry away. Despair has to flee in the face of praise. Demonic forces must cease their lies that cruelly whispers “all hope is gone; give up!” Praise maintains proper focus on The One who loves us beyond measure. I wonder what the following exercise might produce for us — When one worry pops into your mind; counter it with one praise. Write down the worry and write down the praise. After a month, look over your list. I wonder if this praise diary would prove useful in future assault upon your joy and peace? Satan and his demons never cease to try and bring us down! Therefore, praising is a must!

Whatever burden seeks to torment you today, counter-attack with a praise. This post comes with a prayer for every reader to make a habit of praising. It builds strength and grows hope. It’s a worry buster. Blessings of praising be yours.