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When joy fills our hearts and we are overwhelmed with the feelings of being blessed, it's easier, more natural to praise God, isn't it? But what about when life is not so joyful or blessed?
I know that when I was betrayed by someone who was suppose to be on my side, praising God was not a thought in my head or an expression of my heart. But, that's exactly what God wanted me to do. He wanted me to praise Him for the heartache even with my heart aching. He wanted me to praise Him for the unjust situation. He wanted me to praise Him for the disappointment. He wanted me to praise Him even with tears falling down my face and the pain of it all overwhelming me.
And so, I did.
It was not easy, but I surrendered to God's request because I thought, 'Why not?' Why not praise God in the trials? Why not praise God in the suffering? "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy." (James 1:2 NLT) Suffering is an opportunity for great joy, so why not, if nothing else, offer our suffering as a form of praise? There's not much else we can do, right? But God can.
And that's exactly what God did for me.
He didn't change what had happened, but He did change my heart and how the betrayal affected me. When I began to praise God for the situation and all the hurt I felt, I began to feel relief. Joy replaced pain. Freedom overcame the captivity of hurt. Blessings were there beyond the suffering. There is incredible power in praising God, especially when we don’t feel like it.
Suffering is inevitable, but it is temporary. God's promises, however, are eternal. He promises to be with us, to have a future for us, to care for us, to give us rest and peace, to love us, to strengthen us, to comfort us, to lead us, to avenge for us, to shelter us, to preserve us. Above all, He promises an eternity of no suffering. That alone is worthy of praise.
Experience the indescribable joy of the Lord today. Praise Him for not only the good in your life, but also for the pain, the injustices, the heartaches, the hardships, the people or things that are making your life difficult, the laundry that needs to be done, the toilets that need to be cleaned, the work you've put off, the unanswered prayers, the mistakes, the challenges, the disappointments, the illnesses, the weaknesses, the stresses, the imperfections. Trust Him with what you don’t understand. Trust Him with your pain. Rely on His goodness and faithfulness and you will one day see the blessing beyond the suffering.
"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory
that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,
since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 NIV
Heavenly Father, you are loving and good. Help me to trust that your plan for me is better than my plan even if it includes suffering. Give me strength to endure, peace to accept, and patience to wait for you to work all things for good because I love you. I praise you for all that I’ve been through and all that is to come. I praise you for your faithfulness and promises. Thank you for securing me in your kingdom because of your Son, Jesus. It’s in His name I pray. Amen.
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