Some days I don't feel like
praising. There are those days when I don't even want to get out of bed, because, you
know? I am TIRED. That's a mom's life. But especially because I have
been persevering to do the thing God has called me to do in obedience, and it is so far outside of my comfort zone it has it's own zip code.
Everyday, I can rejoice in one solid truth: God is good. All the time. That truth is not dependent on how I feel or how much sleep I got the night before. God's character is not on trial based on my feelings. God is still on the throne and he is always worthy. His mercies are new everyday.
I remember the words of my always encouraging friend, “We live to please God, not man.” I hear my Heavenly Father reminding me that my story is for an audience of One. And that is all that matters.
God is teaching me how to p
r a i s e. This is praise: that I bare my heart and
soul to the King of the universe. He is not just one
person in the audience. He is the whole audience. The Alpha
and Omega. Beginning and End. He is the author and perfecter of my
story. The only audience worthy of praise. And He knows my name.
It was monogrammed on my high school letter-man's jacket, my life verse. It reminds me whether I stand at
the sink washing dishes or tend to my sick child or hang up the laundry or listen to a friend in need of prayer or write my heart out on a blog--all
are opportunities to praise God.
For he has set grace before me. Grace in the pain. Grace in the
pleasure. Grace in the pursuit. All are praise when done to
the glory of the true Grace Giver.
It is impossible for me to oversimplify
praise. Because some days praise means surrender. It is
telling God, None of this matters without You, and then
placing God at the center of it all so I can remember whom I serve.
Praise is how you hold onto grace
when hanging in there gets tough, and all you can do is cling to
Jesus.
Praise is how you re-prioritize, so that down means up, you
touch the sky when your knees hit the ground.
Praise happens when you lay it all down so you can free up your
hands—lay down your plans, lay down your pride, lay down your
priorities—and you reach for the one who laid down on a cross so he
could lift you out of the pit.
Praise is how you walk into the week clinging to the Word that
directs your path and hanging onto the One who directs your steps.
I will praise you every day;
yes, I will praise you forever.
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness.
yes, I will praise you forever.
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
No one can measure his greatness.
PSALM 145:3
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