Praise Him

I might not be able to thank God for my circumstance, but I can still proclaim or tell back to Him who He is. When we praise God, we focus on who God is: He is holy, loving, faithful, righteous, forgiving. Praise is not about what we feel–because sometimes we don’t feel like praising. Instead, praise is about God’s character and the fact that He is worthy of praise. God’s character doesn’t change, and His character isn’t changed by the circumstances of our lives. In 2 Chronicles 20, the Israelites were under tremendous pressure. In verse 12, King Jehoshaphat cried to God, “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” He went to the right place for help, his eyes yearning, pleading with the LORD. As the Israelites marched to face a massive enemy, without having any idea what God was already accomplishing for them, they repeated, “Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever” (verse 21). Over and over they proclaimed that God’s love endures forever, His love endures forever, His love endures forever. The only weapon they raised was the weapon of praise, and God soundly defeated the enemy. What a difference praise would make in our lives if, when troubles come, we would seek the LORD and then praise Him for who He is and what He is going to do.