The pain we endure in life is real, and our tears valid. It’s easy to have pity parties for ourselves. It almost feels natural, and praise unnatural and doesn’t feel logical. But praise is always logical for God’s children. Even in hard times, we must keep eternity in view.
It’s easy to praise God when things are going well. The true test -the harder one is whether we can learn to praise God during very difficult times. Praise is a response to God’s gracious invitation to lift our eyes to Jesus our Savior despite our feelings or circumstances.
When we praise God we feel closer to Him and more connected. We can learn to trust Him and begin to know He is working things for the best. Praising God helps us keep our eyes on Him and not on ourselves or our problems.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
We might not be able to thank God for our circumstances, but we can still praise Him for who He is -holy, living, faithful, righteous, and forgiving. Praise is not about what we feel, because sometimes we don’t feel like praising. Praise is about God’s character and the fact that He is worthy of praise.
God’s character doesn’t change by the circumstances of our lives. We may not know what to do when we are in the storms of life, but we can keep our eyes on the one who does.
Praising God in the storm means maintaining faith and giving Him thanks even in difficult to, Es, trusting that He is present and working for our good. This means shifting the focus from our circumstances to God’s character. This shows trust in God’s goodness and control, even when we cannot see the way forward.
Praising God can calm our mind and soul, and provide a sense of peace and strength to face external challenges.
It’s a spiritual discipline that helps us grow and acknowledge His worthiness of praise in all circumstances, not just good ones.
From Pity to Praise 