5 Reasons To Praise God When Life is Difficult -

Praise can be the last thing you think of doing when life is difficult and that’s why I’m giving you 5 reasons to start praising God today!

Today we are going to look at Psalm 48:1-14 as we continue in the Weariness to Strength Grace Study. We are nearing the end of this study with only four passages left to consider.

This is a wonderful Psalm to meditate on when your life is difficult. This chapter in Psalms has nothing at all about the trials or problems that the psalmist is going through. It is all like a poem or song giving praise to God.

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God,
In His holy mountain.
Beautiful in elevation,
The joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion on the sides of the north,
The city of the great King.
God is in her palaces;
He is known as her refuge. Psalm 48:1-3

What a great way to learn to praise God than to use this psalm as a blueprint!!

Praise Instead of Complaints!

Have you ever been in the grocery store and heard women profusely complaining about their life? Often they have had devastating things happen to them and it would be hard not to gripe.

When you complain about how difficult your life is, your attitude plummets and your negativity soars.

Not to mention the stress that starts to run through every vein in your body causing headaches and all sorts of physical issues.

Your thinking becomes clouded by negative self-talk.
Your words express the downside.
You start fighting depression.
You lose motivation for your passions in life.
You become bitter.
You might lose it in anger!!

Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore! Psalm 105:3-

A Psalm of Today

Have you ever written out your own Psalm to God? I’d like to challenge you to do that as part of your Bible journaling.

Joseph Bayly’s poems have spoken to my heart since I was a 19-year-old college student. Little did I realize how this poem would continue to speak to my heart through the difficult years of my life. Joseph deeply experienced the trials this life brings and you can read more about his life here.

This is the day

The Lord has made

The Lord?

Today?

Yesterday perhaps

Could claim your craft

Or hopefully tomorrow

But not today

This disappointing day so filled

With problems

Needs

Despair and doubt.

This is the day

The Lord has made

And making it

He’ll give the strength

And hope

To take me through.

This is the day

The Lord has made

So I’ll be glad

And I’ll rejoice in it.

by Joseph Bayly

This poem so perfectly expresses the way I approach the difficulties in my life waay too often!

That is why I am going to give you reasons to praise God when life it difficult. You probably struggle with your outlook just like I do.

Most people do!

I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together! Psalm 34:1-3

Psalm 34 is a chapter that has encouraged and brought me through my journey of life so far.

THESE VERSES GIVE ME A FORMULA FOR LIVING.

Bless the Lord! How often? At all times!
Praise shall be in my mouth! How often? Continually!
Boast in the Lord! Who? Me! My soul!
Hear Humbly and BE glad!
Magnify the Lord! Get others to do it with me!
Exalt His name! Let’s DO it together!