Put On Praise
She stares deeply into the mirror, adoring God’s very good work–herself. Do you stare into the mirror the way my daughter does? Hopeful, proud, excited, and free?
Putting on the version of me that God created long before I was exposed to a sin tainted world is usually my biggest task for the day. Rushing past the mirror, completely dodging the reality that, before anything else, I am not just a good part of God’s creation, but His very good work .
What’s the hardest for you to “Put On?”
Despair comes in many shapes and sizes. These new pants don’t fit. So and so avoids me. That person betrayed me. And the doctor says the unthinkable. And I can’t breathe. A loved one passes away. Why do things never go my way? Triggers are everywhere!
Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous (Psalm 146:1-8 NIV).
Instead of putting on whatever triggers us, we get to put on the things of God. When we surrender to Him, He lifts us up. I often mess this up. Trading God for the empty comfort of this world. Despite the extreme difficulty of turning off my negativity, praising God is my go to—the garment I reach for the most. Acknowledging God’s riches lavished all over my past, present, and future is my favorite outfit to wear.
Brandon Lake puts it this way in his song “Gratitude,”
So I throw up my hands
And praise You again and again
'Cause all that I have is a hallelujah
Hallelujah
And I know it's not much
But I've nothing else fit for a King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah
Hallelujah
While it’s not much, it is definitely, “Fit for a King.” Whether the “clothes” fit or not, we throw up our hands with a hallelujah, embracing God and all the blessings He pours out on us all day, every day.
Praise cuts through the noise and quickly transforms our gaze. Continually, changing our “clothes,” finding God’s gift of everyday gold and giving Him all the credit. In what ways, can you give God the glory?
