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To view or add a comment, sign in . He is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). As you review His goodness and provision in the past, you will find new strength to face the problems of today. We are also called to praise Him no matter what the circumstances. Everyone looked up. Do they see you hungry to arrive, seeking the face of the Father? You are a worshipper. When we praise God in difficult times, we are reminded that our Heavenly Father is not only aware of our situation but is in complete control. Rekindle that fire. Sermon: The Power of Worship - Psalm 40, John 12. Onlookers displayed a sense of awe, a worship-like quality. So, turn up a worship song and sing along. Turn your heart to find praise for the God who loves you and is fighting for you. Where is God when it really hurts? The disciples worshiped. So, feeling desperate for God, I did the only thing I knew to do: I turned on some praise and worship music. Help me move from viewing my problems as big and You as small to the exact opposite as I focus on how big my God is. Free shipping on books, Bibles, gifts, VBS, and church supplies of $50 or more. To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. If they lived far from the temple they would make a long journey just to worship in the Temple of God. As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. You could say that those one hundred twenty disciples were singing a new song. - Luke 10:27. The envy of Israelites longing to Worship God in Gods house. Ultimately, its the Lord who heals the distressed soul. And, he couldn't be silent about it. To only stay on the left side is to disobey. So whats the big deal about going to Church and praising God during difficult times? Are you telling others about Christ? There is power in the flow of the Spirit! Not. I would suggest that what we need is power of the worship that attracts people to the Savior. Presently, one can count on Old Faithful erupting every eighty minutes. 2017 by Chris Hodges. Throughout the Bible there is a close, vibrant relationship between worship and witness. Difficult times come, the difference between a hot mess and a holy calm for me is remembering that My God is bigger than my problem. From this verse we see two profound elements of worship: celebration and proclamation. But I find great joy knowing Dad is in heaven, and Ill see him again someday. Believe in Gods great power and might and sing his praises, even when your heart is heavy. Praise is always a choice. Why, my soul, are you downcast? like this. But, here's the point, it was in that context of worship that these men received God's clear clarion call to go to the entire world and represent Jesus. Final thoughts on Psalm 84:4 are more questions (youre shocked right?!?!). Few people, if any, are converted to Christ on purely intellectual grounds. Think with me for a moment when churches had revivals. But Id learned to practice worshipping God no matter what the circumstances. If you enjoyed this article you will love these: amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; When one hard thing is conquered, another is just around the corner. Philippians 4:4 is the key that unlocks this peace: Rejoice in the Lord always. Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. Furthermore, his singing was praiseful - it was worship. Im one of those that finds it easier to cling to Jesus when life is hard. Being in Gods House was the way they entered into Gods presence. Allow God to teach you as you walk through the situation. Children, like non believers, are watching. If you are on the left side and have not accepted Christ, at some point, you need to cross the line of faith and accept Christ into your heart. The religion of Christianity dictates that we go to church regularly but if that is where it ends for us weve missed the point. "I will praise You, Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations" (Psa. Drop a comment below to let me know. Let's step forward together and learn practical ways to live into God's possible! Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. That is not what Redemption is about. You are to worship. It may not seem natural, and you may feel uncomfortable, but go ahead and praise God. Have you noticed a theme in this study of the phrase be still? *Indicated Required Field See ourPrivacy Policy. What Happens When We Praise God in Difficult Times? Singing Praises When Life is Hard Helps Us Be Still, A Prayer to Be still and Praise God In Difficult Times. Can you relate? Isnt it amazing to worship online when you cant make it in?!?!? In America, there is a church on every other corner and most of us have a pastor or faith blogger in the family. Are you on the left side of the word worship? We have all had those times when life seemed to make an unexpected left turn. Should We be Praising God During Difficult Times? Each person wants to see it again and again. 28:16-20). This post may contain affiliate links. Call others to join you on the mountain top of worship, to come into God's presence, to stand before God's throne. Be one drawn into God's presence, but also be one sent out into the world. We may have lost a job, lost a spouse, or our health. The Psalmist is full of longing to be in Gods House. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. I'm just an ordinary girl following an extraordinary God, learning to seek God's possible in this world of impossible. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; Praise is not only a command, but a gift we give to God. Please see below for details. This gives us at least a vision of ourselves rejoicing in the future. This Psalm says we should praise God in song. Verbalize your praise. There was a freshness and newness to his experience with God. And, in turn the same security that David found in God, they, too would find that security and join David in worship. He will protect you from the battles in this life. Many of these meetings were great times of singing, testimony, and preaching. The Power of Worship- free sermon download (PDF). Its good to know that our Father invites us to confide in him, to share our feelings honestly in prayer. Yep, praising God in the midst of trouble is a powerful tool. One of our first stops in the scenic wilderness was the geyser known affectionately as Old Faithful. I pray you will fill your life with praise to the Lord. It is reflected in two ways: People far from God are drawn to Christ through worship and people close to God are compelled to share Christ after worship. What draws you to worship God? As a bonus, youll get a set of printable prayer and scripture cards to help you find words of praise through the battle. Knowing hell meet us when we are most broken is the beautiful reality of living the abundant life. But suddenly I didnt know what to do. Its one thing to read a few Bible verses about faith in hard times and say to yourself you will lean in and not run but its another thing to live it out. In one sense, its a choice, not a feeling. It is beautiful really to see the example they set for us. When youre in the storms of life, under fire from battles on numerous fronts, facing difficult trials, take hope in Gods power. When was the last time you longed to be in church? As we praise God in difficult times, move our focus from ourselves and onto the one who loves and cares for us. Praise God in the midst of trouble. Many years ago, I heard a preacher say, too often we gaze at our problems and glance at God. Are you on the right side of the word worship? We can draw near to him by singing psalms or hymns, or reflecting on his goodness and speaking well of him. The National Park Service has built a boardwalk that encircles the old geyser with benches around one side. Our loved ones may try to lighten our load or lift our spirits, but unfortunately, their efforts can fall short. Youve heard the songs, the sermons, the Bible verses, and the coffee mug quotes about praising God through the storm. It becomes a kind of personal battle cry. We are to be in awe, spellbound, mesmerized by the life-giving, life-flowing, power of God. Set your eyes upon him, and youll see him more clearly. The Israelites were taught from birth about praising God during difficult times. Latecomers stood behind. Music just soothes and refocuses our mind so well Sunshine! Gasping like Id been tackled, I doubled over against the hood of my car. After youve experienced that power you will say as I do, I will praise God at all times.. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Look around you and praise God for all the blessing you see. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Checking it out now! I'm glad you're here to journey with me! When I chose to praise the Lord even in hard times, at least three things happen. And it wasn't just any song that David sang. Jaws dropping. Read our. Old Faithful is the most visited of all the geysers for a simple reason: It is faithful. We observe in Psalm 84 a turn from longing to praise God to a note of what we are to praise. As I praise God during the difficult times, I am reminded that God is still in control. Or will Dad go safely into heaven? Do you see what God says about hard times here? Unbelievers were drawn to Christ through their worship and, in turn, their worship compelled them to tell others about him. There is something powerful about hearing our own voice praise and worship the Lord. Great post! Beyond the should do, there are many benefits of praising God, even when youre in the storm. Their worship witnessed to the awesome display of God's presence and power. Rick Ezell is the pastor of First Baptist Greer, South Carolina. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Praying God's Promises: The Why and How Behind the Practice. Your family. But then, doesnt stepping out in faith usually run counter to this world? To have hope in God is to wait expectantly for him. islam read There are two profound elements of worship: celebration and proclamation. The Great Commission is the church's heartbeat for existence. During those times, its easy to get completely focused on me and my problems. To view or add a comment, sign in. They had witnessed something powerful, something from beyond themselves. One Dad said to his kids, "Did you see that? Isaiah 6:1-8. Believe me. Its one thing to sing along and repeat the verses when life is good, but it can be quite another to turn your heart to praise when the storms surround. Praising the Lord always is how we learn to be still during difficult times. I said: Here I am. I felt His power strengthen me. How are you praising God and praying for that miracle? {We'll randomly select 5 winners and email notifications to each one by Monday, November 20, 2017.}. Our mentors are not counsellors. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.. And though I knew I would grieve Dads cancer again and again, I took comfort in the reality I could survive this news. Thank you for being my shield and defender, the Lord of Hosts who fights for me and stays with me in hard times. If we only praise God when life is easy, comfortable, and prosperous we will have little praise time. Since he is faithful to help, we can know that we will praise him again. Do they see you prepare for worship as you do for a vacation? 6:1, 5, 8). We are supposed to witness something beyond ourselves. (You can stand on the other side, but when the geyser erupts you will get a shower.) That's the arrow on the left side of worship. As long as I am getting personal, may I step closer? Worship and grief dont usually go hand-in-hand. Most of us need more than a you should praise God because Scripture says so to make such effort to turn our hearts to praise when our hearts are full of grief, despair, worry, and fear. This post may contain affiliate links. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. Do they see the same excitement as when you go to a football game? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Sing a hymn of praise. More than that, we will begin to praise God in all circumstances!!!!! Gods love is a lot like the love of a spouse all-encompassing. What hit home for you in this article? You are the church, and Lifeway is here to serve you with biblical resources for everything life brings your way. Suddenly, we are on a detour down a dark and dangerous path. I have hope, he is faithful to help, and he is my God! Praise can turn around even the worst day and make your heart feel light. for I will yet praise him, Blessed Birds. The did not merely hear his praise, they saw him praising. Dont fake it, be honest. When we face difficult times, how are we to respond? How will we make it? In this eye-opening new book, The Daniel Dilemma: How to Stand Firm and Love Well in a Culture of Compromise, Pastor Chris Hodges provides a solution by examining the life of the prophet Daniel, who persevered in a corrupt culture closely resembling our own and emerged as an influential force in Gods redemptive plan. 57:9). Praising God during difficult times is hard. Evangelism sprang from their worship. What if they see scowls? The pivotal moment in the whole journey of Dads illness was that day in my office the day I worshipped God and refused to bow to fear, pain and despair. I love redeeming the internet! The psalmist in Psalm 42 questions the reason for his despair; then he instructs himself to hope in God. That's the arrow on the right side of the word worship. In Jesus Name, Amen. Why does that happen? But rather than cave to the despair of looming circumstances, by Gods grace I chose to worship Him no matter what and never bow to the pressures of life. With God, were always in a win-win situation. These wholehearted worshipers called the whole world to whole-hearted worship. 40:3). 12 Verses to Pray for Unity in The Church, God Will Fight for You: Be Still My Anxious Mind, 14 Characteristics of a Godly Wife That Will Save Your Marriage, 10 Biblical Reasons for Marriage That Still Apply Today, How to Fast and Pray In A Way that Pleases God, 7 Ways to Begin Walking in the Grace of God Every Day, 11 Steps to Start Overcoming Pornography Biblically for Life, How To Be a Biblical Wife To an Ungodly Husband, How to Become a Strong Prayer Warrior and Why, 40 Day Fast Guide: Be Still and Know God More, Sex In a Christian Marriage: The Uncomfortable Truth, 12 Verses to Pray for Unity in the Church, Bible verses about faith and love in hard times. Singing is a powerful way to be still, calm fear, and relieve anxiety. Even when our run has slowed to a crawl and our shout has died down to a whimper we can wait on our good Father with fierce expectation. However, we should be gazing at God and glancing at our problems. Yes Tiffany God is good and worthy always to be praised. my Savior and my God. He persistently, continually, and repeatedly praises the Lord. Or, must I say, should happen. But they were "speaking the magnificent acts of God" (Acts 2:11). amzn_assoc_title = "Top Faith Resources"; We should be motivated to tell others about what we have experienced. Youll see the blessings hes given you outside of these trials and youll see how hes at work in your battles. It was a new song. Will they be attracted to Christ? Invite people to join you at worship. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Thanks for the encouraging comment. Your focus is on the issues in your life, not on the blessings. And I try to sing scripture too. This message reminds the hearer of the power of worship to an unbelieving world. It was like, as I have been told, seeing Old Faithful erupt never grows old. When you stop worrying and trying to fix it all on your own, you allow the space for God to step in. Whatever the reason we now face an uncertain future, and fear of tomorrow. As David praised God many saw it. God never wastes any event in our life, He wants to grow us to be more like Christ through every situation we face. They always help re-center me and remember God. Terms of Service & Privacy Policy. The crowd was spellbound, awe-filled, as the dancing water performed its magic for a minute and then quietly returned to earth. It wasnt just that I loved my dad he was my hero, my friend, my mentor in the Christian faith. Parents, what are your children learning from your demeanor in worship? I let the goodness of who God is soothe me. Do you ever wonder what happens when you sing? David was expressing a song of gratitude to God for who he is, what he said, and what he was doing.