This morning I read Psalms 134, 146-150.
What phrase did I see over and over in the chapters? PRAISE THE LORD!
There was no clause in there about when we should praise the Lord and when we should't. It simply states over and over to praise Him.
This doesn't mean we are to praise Him only when things are great and life is good. This means we are to praise Him in the hardest moments of life when it feels we can't go on any longer and no one seems to care moments too!
This is where we struggle the most. It is so hard to praise the Lord when our world appears to be crashing in around us. Instead we want to place blame and cry out to God asking "Why? Why have you brought me this low? Why are you allowing me to go through these valley's?"
Yet the command is simply to praise Him.
Praise Him when you are sick.
Praise Him when you are well.
Praise Him when you are sad.
Praise Him when you are happy.
Praise Him when being a parent is a struggle.
Praise Him when your children are a joy.
Praise Him when you are struggling financially.
Praise Him when you are debt free.
Praise Him when you are hurting.
Praise Him when you are joyful.
Praise Him through the tears.
Praise Him through the laughter.
Praise Him in the big things.
Praise Him in the little things.
PRAISE HIM!
In this life, it is easy to have an earthly vision. We see the here and now and sometimes life can be most dismal and hard and we feel stuck under a dark cloud of gloom. We allow our situations and circumstances to get the best of us. It is easy to Praise the Lord during the joyful, happy, everything is perfect moments of life, but maybe the darker days wouldn't seem quite as long, hard and dark if we practiced Praising the Lord regardless!
A simple reminder, but one I needed today. Find a way to Praise Him today regardless of where you are in life! We all go through mountaintop moments and times in the valley. I do believe we can find a sweetness even in the valley if we choose to Praise the Lord!
