Praise the Lord at all times !

"I will bless the Lord at all times : his praise will always be in my mouth." Psalms 34.2

David, persecuted by evildoers who wanted evil, decided to praise God, and he experienced the power of praise.

A few years ago, US Army Chaplain Merlin Carothers wrote a book entitled "From Prison to Praise". This book encouraged many Christians, from different denominations, while they were sick, depressed, wounded. The author subsequently wrote a second equally compelling book : "The Power of Praise". In these books, this chaplain recalls all the upheaval that can occur in our lives, when we retain a spirit of praise, whatever the circumstances we go through.

This is exactly what the psalmist says : "I will bless the Lord at all times." That is to say, in all circumstances.

 It is obvious that this is not the panacea to cure all our inner wounds, and to solve all our problems. It is one of the resources, among many others, that God places at our disposal. He never gets locked up in a routine way. In order to bring us inner healing, God has, according to our journeys so different from one another, infinitely varied means. Praise is one of those means.

Praise allows us to detach our eyes from our problems to look at God.

As our inner wounds force us to look toward us, to focus our attention on our dramas, praise leads us to look to God. Praise allows us to detach our eyes from our problems to look at God. Praise leads us to thank him for what he is, for his goodness, for his fidelity, for his love. Remembering his promises and praising him for the graces of the past, we express our gratitude to him. I like the words of this hymn which says : "When the flight of the tempest comes to darken your blue sky, instead of lowering your head, count the benefits of God ..."

The apostle Paul exhorts us to cultivate this habit : "Speak with psalms, hymns, and spiritual hymns, singing and praising the Lord with all your heart." (Ephesians 5:19).

The grace of God, immense and infinite, is the foundation on which rests the inspiration of our praises. We do not have to praise God for our inner wounds, for the damage they cause in our lives, but we have to praise him because he is greater than all those wounds that crush us.

Advice for today

As your wounds weigh and keep you from moving forward, experience the power of praise on this day. Bless God for his fidelity, his love, his invisible but real presence.

Paul Calzada

Source (The Thought of the Day)