Praise: AThankful Heart in aWorld of Hurt
Praise
A THANKFUL HEART
IN A WORLD OF HURT
Like supernatural effervescence, praise will sometimes bubble up from the joy of simply knowing Christ. Praise like that is … delight. Pure pleasure!
How can you define the rush of adoring words which flows from your lips to the throne of God? How can you explain it? It defies dissection or analysis. Rejoicing in Him is the kind of praise which speaks for itself!
But praise can also be supernatural determination. A decisive action. Praise like that is … quiet resolve. Fixed devotion. Strength of spirit.
Perhaps this kind of praise needs some explanation.
When we praise God out of quiet determination, it’s a sacrifice. A sacrifice of praise will always cost you something. It will be a difficult thing to do.
Reflect for a moment on the most frightening crises in your life or the life of your family: a cancerous lump, a debilitating illness, a financial emergency, a daughter’s illegitimate pregnancy, a son’s angry rebellion. If during those times you have steadfastly fastened your heart in praise to God, then you have offered a sacrifice. If with the psalmist you have said to the Lord, “I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more” (Psalm 71:14), you have offered words which have cost you something.
A sacrifice of praise will always be a spendy proposition. It requires trading in our pride, our anger, and most valued of all, our human logic. We will be tempted to think our “intruder” God is overstepping reasonable bounds, asking us to express praise when it seems more rational to express doubt. We will be compelled to voice our words of praise firmly and precisely, even as our logic screams that God has no idea what He’s doing.
In Psalm 65:1, David sings, “Praise awaits you, O God … to you our vows will be fulfilled.” I’ve been told the Hebrew term translated “await” means “quiet trust.” Such a trust could be expressed like this:
I have prayed about this burden, this emergency, and now, Lord, I will deliberately fix my heart on praising You even before I see the answer. The answer to my prayer hasn’t come yet, but I expect it. And my praise—a sacrifice—is my offering to You in demonstration of my belief and confidence.
I think that God is especially honored when we offer a sacrifice of praise. He is glorified when we offer words of adoration wrenched from a pained and bruised heart. Perhaps that’s because He values the precious weight of each word of praise that’s been sacrificed.
Most of the verses written about praise in God’s Word were penned by men and women who faced crushing heartaches, injustice, treachery, slander, and scores of other intolerable situations. Little wonder that Hebrews 13:15 reminds us of the value of praising God even when it hurts.
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess His name.
It is only “through Jesus” that we are able to offer a sacrifice of praise. Why? Because Jesus was God’s sacrifice for us. Is it asking too much, then, for us to sacrifice mere words? Never! God is definitely not overstepping reasonable bounds when He asks us to offer a sacrifice of praise.
He has been more than generous with us. May we be as generous with our words of praise.
Whatever kind of praise you offer—joyful effervescence or quiet determination—may the thoughts on the following pages help you to fix your praise on Him.