May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you. (Ps. 67:3)
Some of my earliest memories involve singing praises to God. I remember standing in between my grandparents and singing every word to the hymns long before I could read the words in the hymnal. I loved the sound of all those voices when they came together in a beautiful, unrehearsed harmony. During the years that my husband and I served in youth ministry, we attended many youth camps and conferences, and whenever a group would gather and sing praises to God I would often just close my eyes and take in the sound of all those voices, in unity, glorifying our Lord.
For much of my life, however, I thought that praising God was tied to how I felt in the moment. If I was happy or in a good mood my praise reflected that. If I was angry or fearful or anxious my praise would be the same. But I found a freedom in praising God when I realized that we praise him simply for who he is and all that he has done. My praise is no longer tied to my emotions. It is an outpouring of love and gratitude because he is worthy.
When we learn to praise God despite our circumstances or how we are feeling, we can experience freedom in a way we’ve never known before.
Take time to praise God for who he is.
Deborah Rhodes is co-lead pastor of Parkside [Wesleyan] Church in Greenville, South Carolina. She is passionate about studying and teaching God’s Word.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
