3 Benefits of Praise

– Harry Ironside

Praising Him in the Storm

It’s one of the most difficult things we as humans can do: praising God when we are in trouble. How often have we been sick, been in debt, or had serious relationship problems with our spouse? Yet can we find the depth within us to praise God in all of this? Remember, Job lost everything, including his children, and was left with only a wife, who told him to “curse God and die” (Job 2:9). Instead, Job said, “Even though he slay me, yet will I praise him” (Job 13:15).

Being Content

The Apostle Paul had to learn how to be content, meaning it didn’t come naturally, and neither does it to us. Paul wrote, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11) and told Timothy that “godliness with contentment is great gain for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world” (1 Timothy 6:6-7). I think we’d worry less if we also learned to be content in whatever situation we’re in.

Offering Thanksgiving

When you are under great pressure and things are not going well, how about making an offering to God? I don’t mean an offering of money but of giving God thanks for all He has done. Praise God, even when you don’t feel like it, because you’ll gain great benefits. There was only one offering that wasn’t commanded in the Old Testament, which was the offering of thanksgiving (Leviticus 22:29).

Conclusion

Harry Ironside was a great man of God, of whom I’m not worthy to stand, even in his shadow. He said, “We would worry less if we praised more.” There is such wisdom in this; and, really, it’s the wisest thing you could do, to praise God. When you do, your worries just evaporate.