I Will Yet Praise Him

When everything is going my way, it is easy for me to praise God. But when everything is not well, when I'm in pain (which is pretty frequently) or when my dreams and visions for my life don't come quickly enough, it is very difficult to come out of my self-pity bubble to praise God.


I once had a dream where I had been arrested, presumably for being a Christian, and was on my way to the prison. I was actually excited about going to prison, because once I got there I would be able to talk to Jesus all day every day without any other obligations. I've often wondered, if I were someday imprisoned in my body, unable to move, if I would be joyful because I could spend more time with God, or if I would be too self-absorbed in my hardship to even acknowledge God's existence. If it happened right this minute, I'm afraid the latter would be true. I believe, however, that with God's help, I can work towards praising Him even on the most painful of days.


King David found himself challenged in the same way, and tells us about it in Psalm 42. This passage just might become one of the ones I cling to most! Listen to his words:


"As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
'Where is your God?'



These things I remember
as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.


Why, my soul, are you downcast?


Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.


My soul is downcast within me;
therefore I will remember you
from the land of the Jordan,
the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
Deep calls to deep
in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
have swept over me.


By day the Lord directs his love,
at night his song is with me—
a prayer to the God of my life.


I say to God my Rock,
'Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy?'

My bones suffer mortal agony
as my foes taunt me,
saying to me all day long,
'Where is your God?'


Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God."

It is so encouraging to me that I am not alone in this. That one of the most well known kings in all of history found himself in the same predicament. And it was his victory in this challenge that made him so great. Why should my soul be downcast? I serve a loving, merciful, holy, all-powerful, and righteous God, the only true God. For that reason I will yet praise Him.


Have you been faced by the same challenge? What has helped you?

Got Joy? Got Strength.

The past couple of days, I've realized just how selfish of a person I really am. I'm ashamed to say that it is very difficult for me to put the needs and wants of others above my own needs and wants. The realization brought me to a place of hopelessness, wanting to change but not knowing how to make such a big change. Honestly, it's put me in a bit of a grumpy, non-joyful mood.

This morning, during my devotions, however, God highlighted Nehemiah 8:10: "The joy of the Lord is your strength." I looked it up to read the chapter in context, and was amazed by what I read. Before Nehemiah spoke this to the people, Ezra had read the Book of the Law to them. As they listened, they wept, presumably because they realized they had not been obeying the Book of the Law. Then Nehemiah tells them, "This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep." (v. 9) Next he tells them, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (v. 10)

They, like me, had come to a realization of their sinful nature, and rather than allowing them to mourn and weep and repent of their depravity, they are told to rejoice and celebrate. Why? Because our God is a forgiving and merciful God. Later, He would sent His only son to die on the cross for not only their sins, but also for the sins of everyone who ever was or would be. And because of that, we also have reason to rejoice.

When I realize something I need to do differently, I frequently ask for strength to obey. However, this morning, God told me to ask for joy rather than strength, for His joy IS our strength.

Have you ever come to a place where you've felt hopeless, unable to be the person God created you to be? Take heart, for it is in that very place of humility that God can begin to mold us and form us. Receive His joy, for it will energize and motivate you and give you hope.