“Praise That Leads to Peace”
By Dianne Prince
“Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and tell of His works with joyful singing.”— Psalm 107:22, NIV
Praise comes easily when God has fulfilled His promises. However, when prayers remain unanswered, sickness persists, loved ones remain lost, jobs are still unfound, slander increases, and bills are overdue, praise can feel difficult. In moments like these, praise often takes a back seat to the weight of our circumstances.
The psalmist reminds us that it is in trying situations that praise becomes a sacrifice. A sacrifice of praise is choosing to thank God when the heart is overwhelmed by emotion. It is pressing past negative thoughts and choosing gratitude in the middle of impossible dilemmas and hopeless situations. It is digging deep beyond doubt and weak faith and pressing into God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise.
Here is your reminder for today: if you have prayed and nothing has changed, if you are in a dark place with no relief in sight, or if you are grieving a recent loss and cannot move past the pain, you are in the perfect place to offer a sacrifice of praise. Make the decision to press past what your mind, emotions, and feelings are telling you. Ask God to help you look away from yourself and your circumstances and fix your eyes on Him.
As you seek God through praise and remember His past faithfulness, doubt will turn into hope. As you thank Him for His provision, your burdens will grow lighter. As you praise Him for making a way when there seemed to be none, your outlook will grow brighter. And as you honor Him as your Promise Keeper, Miracle Worker, and Light in Darkness, you will experience a powerful move of God and be led into a place of peace.
