By Shenalyn Page
“God, I praise You that I’m stuck in the garage at 3 a.m.”
Joyce had knocked over a glass of water on her way to the bathroom. Then the garage door locked behind her when she went to get a broom to sweep up the broken glass. Now she was searching frantically for a house key.
“I praise You that You know about my crazy predicament and how to solve it. God, this is a 9-1-1 prayer! I have to go to the bathroom, and I don’t want to wake up anyone to get into the house. Help me!”
For over an hour, Joyce praised as she searched for the key. Then she saw a small space in the toolbox that she hadn’t noticed before. She reached into it. There was a key! Would it work? She quickly slipped it into the lock and turned the doorknob. The door swung open.
“Thank you, God! I knew that You would take care of me. You are so good!”
The next morning, she looked at the toolbox again … there was no space and no key.
Praise led to the miracle!
What Is Praise?
“Praise” might not be a common word in your vocabulary. But I’ll bet you do it all the time. When was the last time you were excited about something and had to tell everyone about it? You were praising.
Praise is simply expressing approval or admiration. It’s about celebrating the things we love. I like to think of praising God like this: celebrating who God is and what He does.
Praise Invites God into Our Pain
Do you remember the story of Paul and Silas singing at midnight (Acts 16:16–34)? They had been beaten and thrown into jail for casting demons out of a slave girl. However, instead of moaning and cursing, Paul and Silas shocked their fellow prisoners by praying and singing.
How could Paul and Silas celebrate God while they were locked up in jail? Because they knew that God was still awesome—even though their circumstances were not.
When we praise God in difficult situations, we invite Him to join us in our problems. The Bible tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3 KJV). That means that when you focus on God’s goodness instead of your problems, you’re inviting God to be with you.
That’s exactly what happened when Paul and Silas started praising. God showed up, an earthquake shook open the prison gates, and the prisoners’ chains fell off.
Why Should I Praise God?
I like the way The Message Bible puts it: “Praise God, everybody! Applaud GOD, all people! His love has taken over our lives; GOD’S faithful ways are eternal. Hallelujah!” (Psalm 117:1, 2).
Is God a narcissist who needs His ego boosted? Nope. God invites us to praise Him for our benefit, not His.
Praising God is transformational for us because it helps us to stop obsessing about ourselves and our problems. When we focus on God and how amazing He is, we realize that we don’t have to be afraid of anything because He’s got our back. Praising Him for His faithfulness in the past also strengthens our faith and helps us believe that He will take care of us today too.
One Christian writer shares, “If more praising of God were engaged in now, hope and courage and faith would steadily increase.”
How Can I Learn to Praise God?
Celebrating God might feel weird to you. Here are some ideas to help you get started:
1. Get to Know God for Yourself: It’s hard to be excited about something you know little about. Set aside time every day to get to know God by reading the Bible—His love letter to you—and talking with Him through prayer.
2. Let the Bible Give You the Words: Don’t know what to say? Try reading these prayers of praise: 1 Samuel 2:1–10; 2 Kings 19:15–19; 1 Chronicles 16:8–36; Psalm 92–102; Matthew 6:9–13; and John 11:41, 42. Rewrite them in your own words. Or simply read them aloud as your prayer to God.
3. Enjoy Praise Music: Songs of praise are a great way to celebrate God. Listen! Sing! Play along! It will lift your spirits!
Start praising God for His goodness and faithfulness today. Then watch to see how He steps into your life in amazing ways. You won’t be disappointed.
Related articles:
• How Can I Be Thankful for Everything?
• Why Should I Have Faith When Everything Is Going Bad?
• Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen?