Praise Your Way Through

"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

I Thessalonians 5:18

When God guided me to study the word "obedience" this year, I expected to see the word popping up all over the place. Instead, I keep running into two other words ~TRUST and PRAISE.  A couple of days ago I was reflecting on this and scolding myself for not researching Biblical references to obedience, when it came to me~~Trusting God and praising Him were ways of being obedient to Him.  Obedience is the foundation for the trusting and praising!  Today I want to share my thoughts on praise.

Praising God has always been a part of my life, but the sacrifice of praise...truly praising God in the midst of my physical pain or my sorrows has been harder to do.  I would rather weep and question and pray for release.  But God in His wisdom knows that praising Him takes our focus off of our circumstances and shifts our mindset.  We are truly able to look around and say, "Even in our worst, we are blessed."  And we do this in obedience to God who tells us throughout the Bible to give praise.

In Paul L. King's book, "God's Healing Arsenal" his writes in detail about the purposes behind praise .  He shares that God inhabits our praises and that praise puts the focus on God and off of us. Praise dethrones Satan and stops the invasion of doubt and fear.  Praise builds our faith and releases the power of the Holy Spirit within us.  Giving thanks brings peace and creates miracles. One statement he made spoke loudly to me. When we are struggling,"praise your way through".  Praise your way through.  So simple and yet so important.

I truly had not realized the depth of what praise does in and for our lives and the lives of others.  God knew.  And he knew that right now at this time in my life I needed to obey Him and praise Him as he has continually let me know over the past 6 months:  In His word, in devotionals, in the whispers I have heard in my heart, in the words shared by a dear friend, and now King's book~  God has been patiently and consistently instructing me. Praise Him.

I questioned the sacrifice of praise until I understood it.  I was obedient but without understanding.  Now I understand.  A couple of months ago a friend called me when I was going through a breast biopsy and worried the cancer had returned.  She was given three words by God for me.  "Just praise Me".  It brought me through the biopsy and the waiting for results which were benign.  When the nerve pain had me unable to sleep and needing relief from the constant burning and pins and needles sensations all over my body, I understood the sacrifice of praise.  I understood that praising God brought me a sense of peace, took the focus off my pain and got me through.  "Praise your way through".

We all go through difficult challenges that try us.  God with His deep abiding and compassionate love reminds us to praise Him in all cirmstances.  Praise Him!  It is healing to the soul.  Just praise your way through!