PRAISE WHEN HURTING

The U.S. Navy Seals slogan is “The only easy day was yesterday.” They train more rigorously than just about anyone and it is certainly a daunting challenge to become a Seal. The slogan lets one know that one has persevered through a strenuous time. That is encouraging. It is also a notice that current and future days will possibly be even more daunting and challenging. We face the same situations in life. We, too, walk through challenges in our life that seem insurmountable and the prospect of the next day seems overwhelming.

David faced a multitude of these situations but yet still praised God in each one. His life is one up and down after another with his experiences and emotions. Through all the hurting and pain he endured he continually praised the Lord. In Psalm 13 David repeats a cry to the Lord four times” How long…..vv1-2. His prayer is authentic and his pain is very real. He wrestles with the thoughts that God is hidden from him. Don’t we have that first reaction as well? How long must I experience this? How long until I am through this? When will I have peace again? I have asked this on many occasions. Unlike David, when tough times came, I did not put my trust in God’s unfailing love as David did. Instead, I pouted and whined and blamed God and even to the point of exclaiming He must not love me.

What a spoiled brat I was. David sings in these times knowing God has the whole world still in His mighty hands. Psalm 13: 6 “I will sing the LORD's praise, for he has been good to me.” When David encountered pain, we are to do the same…..PRAISE THE LORD!

Courage is not necessarily having the strength to go on. It is going on when we DON’T HAVE the strength. I repeat this lyric from a popular song quite often to myself and unto God...”I will praise you in the storm.” Praise God from whom ALL things flow. So Praise Him in all times, good or bad as we know He promises to work good in ALL things.

“The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of pain, thanking God during a trial, trusting Him when tempted, surrendering while suffering, and loving Him when He seems distant.” Rick Warren