Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Harry Ironside
Rejoicing in Praise
It’s nearly impossible to be praising God and worried at the same time. The psalmist asked, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (Psalm 42:11). Here the psalmist asks himself “why are you cast down, O my soul” because his hope is in God, and that praise is for God’s salvation. Think of our future! That ought to give you a spirit of praise.
Giving Thanks in Praise
I am not that coordinated. I can hardly ride a bike and chew gum at the same time. With this in mind, when we give thanks and praise to God, it leaves no room for worry. Again the psalmist writes, “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations” (Psalm 57:9). How hard is it to be ungrateful while giving thanks? How difficult is it to praise God and dwell on worry? You see my point?
Praising God for His Love
I love my wife and children so much, but I still have times that I worry about them. However, when I think about God, I am like the psalmist who wrote, “Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you” (Psalm 63:3). Nothing in this life can ever separate us from God’s love, and that includes “death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation” (Rom. 8:38-39). So isn’t that praiseworthy?
Praising God for Our Inheritance
I must admit that I’m a bit jealous when I hear of someone inheriting a lot of money after a relative has died. But what can compare with the glory that’s coming (Rom. 8:18)? Nothing can. Can you remember when you were first saved? Can you remember “when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it to the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:13-15)? If you truly understand this rock-solid promise of your coming inheritance in the kingdom, all other inheritances on this earth pale in comparison.
Conclusion
Praise destroys worry because our minds are so occupied with praising God for His salvation that it crowds out worry. Giving thanks and praise to God shows Him that we are content with our life and we are so grateful that we cannot help but praise God for the most wonderful gift that anyone could ever receive.
