Praise Him Whatever
“My praise shall be continually of You” and “I will bless the LORD at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth”
(Ps 71:6b & Ps 34:1-2, NKJV).
What amazing words, so easy to read, so hard to do!
As I was recovering from my recent surgery and having experienced some days with bad headaches and a feeling of great weakness, the LORD God challenged me. I was challenged to question whether I just praised God when I was feeling well and when life was going well, or did I praise HIM when I was in pain, weak, lonely, poor or going through the valley.
He challenged me to realise that He is the same God whether I am well and happy or when I am in pain - or whatever my circumstances might be. He still is a good, loving and just God, He still loves me and is caring for me. I was struck by the story of Job when he lost his family and then his health. He said, “How can we accept all the good things that God gives us and not accept the problems?”
But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:10)
Just as the LORD was showing me these truths, amazingly someone arrived with a gift of a CD for me and on it were the words of this song by Mark Altrogge:
As Long As You Are Glorified
Shall I take Your hand of blessings yet not welcome the pain
Shall I thank You for the days of sunshine yet grumble in days of rain
Shall I love you in times of plenty then leave You in days of drought
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest but when winter winds blow, then doubt?
Are You good only when I prosper and true only when I’m filled
Are You King only when I’m carefree and God only when I’m well
You are good when I’m poor and needy
You are true when I’m parched and dry
You still reign in the deepest valley
You’re still God in the darkest night
Bridge: So quiet my restless heart, quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart in You
God really was confirming what He had laid on my heart! I pray:
May the LORD give me the grace and the faith to look beyond me and give Him the honour and praise that He deserves.
Amen.
I hope this helps someone.
Margaret
