Wearing Lips of Praise

Sometimes it is hard to even imagine muttering words of praise. In times of trial, death, suffering, and struggles, the word praise can seem overwhelming, daunting, and sometimes even impossible.

Have you ever experienced that?

In some of our darkest hours, with tears streaming down our faces, we have tried to utter the words, “Blessed be YOUR name.” How? How are those words supposed to be even appropriate, especially during times of loss and deep struggle?

The other day, I read Psalm 113:3:

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.

I read and reread that verse a few times. When I think about that verse, it’s doesn’t just say during certain times of life. It clearly states from the beginning of the day, to the END of the day, the Lord is to be praised. I’m not going to lie, my mind wondered, “but does God know what sometimes goes on in a day? How is praise still to be uttered?”

Absolutely He knows what goes on in a day. In fact, He knows every little detail of each day. And yet He still asks us to praise Him?

As much as God deserves every praise we could ever mutter, I realize that this verse is also for our good too. Of course God deserves all the glory in all situations. But when we are in our deepest valleys, when we find ways to utter and mutter words of praise, we turn our focus off the situation and pass it on to Him, releasing the burden. Releasing the hurt. Releasing the pain. Releasing the weight that is holding us down. No, the tears won’t stop and even the pain, but there is something about releasing.

God designed us in such a way that when we utter words of praise, our hearts are surrendered, changed, and committed to the journey. A journey that clearly does not always make sense, but a journey that God PROMISES to see us through on. When we utter words of praise, we release that control, knowing God’s got this.

When we lost our two babies, did I right away say, “oh thank you, Lord!” Absolutely not. Does He expect that? I truly don’t think so. What He does desire is for us to run full force, into His arms, praising Him for being a God who loves, comforts, and cares about every single hair on our head. And that means He cares about every tear too.

Don’t stop running. Don’t stop praising. Even when the road is full of potholes, mud puddles, u-turns, and dead ends, God still wants YOU. He wants your words. He wants your life. He wants your all.

Our citizenship is not here on this earth, as permanent as our lives may seem to be on this earth. So let’s take this short time on this earth to praise God for who He is, what He’s done, both now and forevermore!