Becoming people of praise

        Just call me a slow, slow learner...or a fast, fast forgetter.
        For you see, God's been teaching and teaching me--for years and years and years--about thankfulness and praise, about gratitude instead of grumbling, about faith instead of fear.  I've read it in His Word.  I've tried to memorize it and hide it in my heart.  I've repeatedly experienced the astounding power and peace that comes from choosing praise and thanksgiving, even in the hard and dark places of life.  And I've written and shared about it over and over again (as recently, as say, the last few days).
          But oh my goodness, in the nitty gritty of life, my default mode can so quickly go straight to complaining and worrying!  Good grief!  Yeah, sure, maybe I don't fret and fuss out loud, but in my heart--my faithless, fretting heart--I can sometimes fall prey to anxious and discouraging thoughts.  Oh forgive me Lord!  How much peace and hope we forfeit when we give in to grumbling, because the path of blessing, rest, and joy always runs straight by and through praise and thanksgiving.  Always.
         I was reminded of--and convicted by--this yet again the other day in listening to David Jeremiah.  I Samuel 12:24 says, "Only fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart.  For consider what great things He has done for you."  We've got to daily take time to "consider what great things He has done" for us.  Consider it, ponder it, contemplate it.
         Stop right now and consider what great things God has done for you--He's given you the Lord Jesus, salvation, eternal life, His Word, not to mention your very life, your family, your friends, His glorious creation and on and on and on.  Have you truly paused to consider all the great things He has done for you?
         Moreover, this is interesting, but did you know that both "think" and "thank" have the same root word?  When you pause to think about all God has done, you cannot help but thank Him with gratitude in your heart!  Think and thank.  If we'll think, we'll thank.  If we'll pause, we'll praise.  Don't just read about it--do it!  Do it on a daily basis!
          And practically when should you do it? When is a good time to start the practice of praise and thanksgiving.  Well, here are a few places to start--
          First, morning and evening.  Ps.92:1-2 "It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your steadfast love in the morning, and Your faithfulness by night."  Okay, I'm thinking, that's a good practical place to begin--spend a few moments thanking and praising God as soon as you wake up in the morning and then again right before you hit the hay at night.  Lord, thank You for waking me up for this new day.  Thank You for Your steadfast love.  Thank You that the sun is rising once again.  Thank You that You've given me people to serve and love this day...  Or thank You, Father, for so faithfully getting me through this day with all it's challenges.  Thank You for this comfortable bed and this good book to read.  Thank You for keeping those I love safe today and bringing us to a quiet night...
         Start with that--praise and thanksgiving first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
         But what about when you wake up in the middle of the night--which frustratingly I do more and more frequently.  Ugh!  Let's face it--whenever we awaken in the wee hours, our worries are exponentially louder and more frightening.  Things we'd shrug off in daylight hours look terrifying and impossible in the darkness.
         Yet God's Word tells us to offer praise and thanksgiving instead!  Ps.119:62 "At midnight I rise to praise You, because of Your righteous rules."  Oh my stars--what a game-changer if we'd assume when we awaken at night that God wants us to start rehearsing all our reasons for praise and thankfulness rather than recounting our worries and woes!  Let me tell you, I'm putting that baby into practice starting tonight!
          Then how about at every meal time (surely my favorite part of every day!  Food glorious food!)? "...The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God..."  Goodness, saying grace should never be just "Please bless this food." Rather, we have the God-given opportunity whenever we eat to thank the Lord for His relentless goodness and faithfulness.  Oh my, loads of reasons for thankfulness there--for the gift of taste, for good food, for hunger, for family or friends to share a meal with, for Jesus our Bread of Life, for chocolate (of course)...
           And finally, how about this one: Col.3:17 "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."   I'm thinking that pretty much covers ALL of life.  "Whatever" we do--whether words and deeds. Whether early morning or right before bed.  Whether the middle of the night or before enjoying the gift of food.  All that doesn't leave much room or time for anxious fretting or ugly complaining, does it?
          Lord, You well know our fickle hearts, but Oh Father, how we want to be Your faithful, joyful, grateful, and ever-praising children.  Teach us.  Help us.  Encourage us.  Remind us.  And do it through us, Father.  We know that we can't, but You can and will.  After all, You've commanded us to "Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  We want to do Your will, so empower and enable us to be in Your perfect will by giving thanks in all, all, all circumstances.   We thank and praise You in advance for how You're going to transform us into Your relentless and joyful people of praise.
          To God be the glory.    
         
       
       
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