Praise
The first time I really learned to truly praise God was when I lived on my own for the first time away from my hometown, my family, and my friends. It's not to say that I didn't make friends in the new place, but I went through an entire withdrawal because I was away from what I knew. At least what I'd known for the last seventeen years. The reasons behind why I moved to a new town will remain unknown to most people because to me, there's no reason in bringing up a past that I've already learned from and moved on. However, I will mention my past later. I was angry at God for a long time. I'll have to say at least a good three years were spent in resentment, anger and bitterness towards God due to what had happened and I'll let you know that I'm currently in a better place because God let me throw my little fit. Okay, maybe not a little fit, but you know what I mean.
I read the Psalms a lot and the Proverbs, too. I couldn't find peace though. I didn't realize what I was holding onto until a really great friend, Travis, told me that it wasn't at or with God that I needed to be angry or bitter. He told me that I needed to be resentful, angry, and bitter at myself and the person who had sinned against me. And he also told me that, until I learned to praise God and give Him the thanksgiving He deserved for allowing me to live through the experience and learn from it, I was never going to be emotionally and physically healthy. For the longest time, I read:
Psalm 70:1; Make haste, O God, to deliver me; Make haste to help me, O Jehovah. (NIV)
I thought I needed to be delivered when I'd already been delivered from a horrible situation. This was not the right attitude for me to have if I wanted to feel better emotionally or physically. Having bitterness, anger, and resentment actually is bad for your health. It takes over your mind and you get headaches. Headaches lead to other things; such as ulcers, stomachaches, heart burn, and the list continues. Travis said that I needed to read more than just about being delivered. He never let me stray too far from where I needed to be. I thank him for that and he knows that I'd probably be nowhere without him and my other friends while living in that small town. Grace abounded for me from God and I was given many friends that I still speak to presently. I've become more patient as time's passed. I no longer hold feelings of resentment towards the one who hurt me. Nor do I hold any other man to that standard. I will call what happened to me a relationship of damage.
When I made my exodus out of the relationship of damage, I was thanking God for my life. I was seriously that scared! But that's all I was thankful for at that point. I wasn't thankful for my sister leading me down the road to emotional health, I wasn't thankful for the opportunity to have my own place; I wasn't thankful for anything except the fact that I was alive! I asked God repeatedly why this happened to me. My head was reeling. Forgiveness was not on my agenda. Neither was forgetting, but that's to be talked about later. I gave myself a year. I wanted enough time to heal my own heart and to be able to come to terms that I, myself, made the choice to stay in the relationship of damage. Travis made me read with him a lot of scripture. Or he'd quote it for me.
Exodus 15:2; The LORD is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him a habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. (NIV)
I read that multiple times before realizing that God got Moses and the children of Israel out of slavery. I know, I know. Moses didn't grow up as a slave. But he was born a Jew. I still held God responsible for my mistakes up to that point. And that started the beginning of what was a long, painful process, even if it began with me being more ornery and stubborn than I was four years earlier. I'm not going to deny it either. I'm still just as ornery and stubborn; I just know how to be tactful about it. So as a continual retrospect, I'll be learning in this process as much as you will. I pray that you'll find out more about yourself and your relationship with Christ and the Lord ten times better than when you started.
I've asked myself questions and I still ask those same questions. I may not think of them right off hand when I wake up in the morning, but the things I want to realize about praising God and giving Him thanks for all my blessings, they cross my mind at various times during the day. Such as, when do I have time to talk to God today? Do I have time right now? Or is it a continuous conversation that I have with God? Am I reading too much into what praise is or could become? How much is too much? Is there ever a time that God wants you to stop praising Him? Why are some days harder than others to praise the Lord? How can I change that attitude in myself to praise Him even when my day has been truly hard and hectic? Until recently, I'd never really held myself to a higher standard of praising and worshiping my God. I'd always just done it when good things were happening. And that's not wrong. However, I wasn't praising Him for waking me up each day or for the fact that I live in a country where simple things, like education and seeing my family every day, are available to me. I know this sounds trite, but believe it or not, He wants the praise for all things big, small, trite, and important. He's God. He's the Master and Commander of our lives and we need to show Him thanksgiving and praise for it!! No matter what the trial is, He knows what you can handle. He knows you so well that every hair on your head has a number. And that's something I have to constantly remind myself. I've put myself into certain situations because God has given me the power of choice. He's brought me out of a lot of dangerous situations and I thank Him daily for that!!! I don't cry those tears of shame and embarrassment from the past relationship anymore! Now it's more tears of joy and happiness. (Although, tears of stress and frustration do come out. I am, after all, human!)
My gratitude about the relationship of damage is abundant! I know that's hard to understand. Because how can I come out of a relationship of damage and be grateful about it? Right? That's more than likely the first question that popped into your head. How can she be grateful that she had a relationship of damage? That's crazy! Okay, first--let me define a relationship of damage. A relationship that of a person or persons who are abused; physically, emotionally, or mentally. A relationship of damage! I won't explain details right off the bat. I'll save that for later. I'm grateful for that relationship of damage. I know it sounds very odd. Hear me out!
Romans 8:18-30
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (NIV)
I'm supposed to what? Praise Him for putting through a trial, such as a relationship of damage? Are you kidding? Crazy, right? But I do. And here's five reasons why.
What, then, should I say to God to praise Him? Should I just say "Praise Your Name, Lord?" Or is it more than that? Well of course it's more than that. What's the end goal of praising God? There's no end to praising Him. Seriously! There's no end to your praise to God, His Son, or the Holy Spirit.
Deuteronomy 10:21
He is thy praise, and He is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. (KJV)
So God's always in control and He should be your praise, no matter the situation. In good, bad or indifferent situations. And that's what I wasn't seeing. I was blinded by my anger. It's okay to be angry. Christ was angered that vendors had turned His temple into a marketplace and the vendors were ripping poor people off. And He gave them wrath! However, that's the only time (John 2:15) that it mentions Christ getting angry. God was angry with the Israelites all the time. Keep in mind, the Israelites are a Jewish nation. All over Deuteronomy, God tells the Israelites to enter the Promised Land and they didn't for forty years. Forty years! That takes place in the book of Joshua. Here's my take on it. The Israelites were scared! They didn't believe that God would actually protect them. When they did finally enter the Promised Land, the Israelites saw that God was right all along. So I'd decided that maybe I should rephrase my prayers. Lord, please help me to forgive those who have sinned against me, even if it's Your fault. I actually said that prayer for about six months. When I told a couple of people that I was saying that prayer, including Travis, I got looks like I was out of my mind. Someone asked, "Why is it God's fault that someone sins against you?" My answer was simple. "Because He let me stay in an abusive relationship." There it is! Travis caught me with that! He said, "But the Lord gives you the power of choice and you chose to stay with the one who abused you. You thought you could change him. Don't tell me I'm wrong either because I've seen that more than once!" He was right. I couldn't deny that I'd stayed in a relationship of damage. I still wasn't displaying the right attitude of praise though. How would I do that? How could I change my attitude? I still ask myself these things everyday!
Thanksgiving
Colossians 3:15-17
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.(NIV)
Praise and thanksgiving go hand in hand. I may have some scriptures say the same thing about both. I'm thankful because I'm alive! I have made a decision to live the way most people would not take seriously. It frustrates some people in my circle of friends, but once they realize that I'm happier this way, they let it go.
Jonah 2:9
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”(NIV)
Even Jonah praised and thanked God for all the things that happened to him. I'm not sure how happy I'd be if I were swallowed by a huge fish. (Whether it was a huge fish or a whale, I'm not sure. That's not my point.) I grew up in a two-story house in the suburbs, times are different.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (KJV)
Give thanks for everything. And in every thing, give thanks. It seems simple enough, right? How do we do that? Do we ask God to give us the ability to have thanksgiving in our hearts for Him? Is it something we learn or just something we're born with? This relationship of damage has made an imprint on me. I've never had something this dramatic happen to me. There are questions below for you to answer for yourself. No one else but you.
Daniel 2:23
He is thy praise, and He is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. (KJV)
This verse is an echo of Deuteronomy 10:21. Praise and thanksgiving to God on the Highest! If I can open my eyes in the morning, I praise and thank Him. If I'm able to talk to my family, I praise and thank Him. If I'm able to attend a college course or two or three, I praise and thank Him. If someone is willing to put their life or lives on the line so I can worship Him without persecution, I praise and thank God for creating men and women willing to do so! Give Him praise and thanksgiving for the air you're breathing, for the car you're driving and even for the ability to have five senses. And even if you don't have all five senses, the United States has come a long way in order to help those with blindness, deafness and other abilities. I dislike the word disability due to the fact that it's commonly misused in the world today.
When I'm praising God, is my heart in the right place?
Have I examined my intentions?
When I'm giving thanks for all my blessings, is my heart in the right place?
Do I have the correct attitude when I'm praising and thanking God for all the big, small, trite and important things in my life?
Does my praising and thanksgiving attitude show in my actions to others in the workplace, at school, at home, at the store and anywhere else I go?
Do you begin your day by talking to God?
Am I praising God in all situations, whether good, bad or indifferent?
Am I praising Him in daily activities (work, school, etc)?
I ask these questions because I'd like you to examine your attitude of gratitude and praise. Keep your Bible handy and a writing utensil and/or highlighter! I strongly recommend you take notes as well and keep them around. After a certain amount of time, you'll find the notes and scriptures and remember how you were feeling and your attitude when you started this process and how much progress you've made! I look back at all the decisions, mistakes, choices, and progress that I've made and I'll be honest; I couldn't have done it without the Lord! He put obstacles in my way and people in my life that I wouldn't be the same without them! Keep in mind: David praised God in the Psalms and Peter and Paul praised and gave thanksgiving in their letters to the churches they wrote to all over.
The first time I really learned to truly praise God was when I lived on my own for the first time away from my hometown, my family, and my friends. It's not to say that I didn't make friends in the new place, but I went through an entire withdrawal because I was away from what I knew. At least what I'd known for the last seventeen years. The reasons behind why I moved to a new town will remain unknown to most people because to me, there's no reason in bringing up a past that I've already learned from and moved on. However, I will mention my past later. I was angry at God for a long time. I'll have to say at least a good three years were spent in resentment, anger and bitterness towards God due to what had happened and I'll let you know that I'm currently in a better place because God let me throw my little fit. Okay, maybe not a little fit, but you know what I mean.
I read the Psalms a lot and the Proverbs, too. I couldn't find peace though. I didn't realize what I was holding onto until a really great friend, Travis, told me that it wasn't at or with God that I needed to be angry or bitter. He told me that I needed to be resentful, angry, and bitter at myself and the person who had sinned against me. And he also told me that, until I learned to praise God and give Him the thanksgiving He deserved for allowing me to live through the experience and learn from it, I was never going to be emotionally and physically healthy. For the longest time, I read:
Psalm 70:1; Make haste, O God, to deliver me; Make haste to help me, O Jehovah. (NIV)
I thought I needed to be delivered when I'd already been delivered from a horrible situation. This was not the right attitude for me to have if I wanted to feel better emotionally or physically. Having bitterness, anger, and resentment actually is bad for your health. It takes over your mind and you get headaches. Headaches lead to other things; such as ulcers, stomachaches, heart burn, and the list continues. Travis said that I needed to read more than just about being delivered. He never let me stray too far from where I needed to be. I thank him for that and he knows that I'd probably be nowhere without him and my other friends while living in that small town. Grace abounded for me from God and I was given many friends that I still speak to presently. I've become more patient as time's passed. I no longer hold feelings of resentment towards the one who hurt me. Nor do I hold any other man to that standard. I will call what happened to me a relationship of damage.
When I made my exodus out of the relationship of damage, I was thanking God for my life. I was seriously that scared! But that's all I was thankful for at that point. I wasn't thankful for my sister leading me down the road to emotional health, I wasn't thankful for the opportunity to have my own place; I wasn't thankful for anything except the fact that I was alive! I asked God repeatedly why this happened to me. My head was reeling. Forgiveness was not on my agenda. Neither was forgetting, but that's to be talked about later. I gave myself a year. I wanted enough time to heal my own heart and to be able to come to terms that I, myself, made the choice to stay in the relationship of damage. Travis made me read with him a lot of scripture. Or he'd quote it for me.
Exodus 15:2; The LORD is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him a habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him. (NIV)
I read that multiple times before realizing that God got Moses and the children of Israel out of slavery. I know, I know. Moses didn't grow up as a slave. But he was born a Jew. I still held God responsible for my mistakes up to that point. And that started the beginning of what was a long, painful process, even if it began with me being more ornery and stubborn than I was four years earlier. I'm not going to deny it either. I'm still just as ornery and stubborn; I just know how to be tactful about it. So as a continual retrospect, I'll be learning in this process as much as you will. I pray that you'll find out more about yourself and your relationship with Christ and the Lord ten times better than when you started.
I've asked myself questions and I still ask those same questions. I may not think of them right off hand when I wake up in the morning, but the things I want to realize about praising God and giving Him thanks for all my blessings, they cross my mind at various times during the day. Such as, when do I have time to talk to God today? Do I have time right now? Or is it a continuous conversation that I have with God? Am I reading too much into what praise is or could become? How much is too much? Is there ever a time that God wants you to stop praising Him? Why are some days harder than others to praise the Lord? How can I change that attitude in myself to praise Him even when my day has been truly hard and hectic? Until recently, I'd never really held myself to a higher standard of praising and worshiping my God. I'd always just done it when good things were happening. And that's not wrong. However, I wasn't praising Him for waking me up each day or for the fact that I live in a country where simple things, like education and seeing my family every day, are available to me. I know this sounds trite, but believe it or not, He wants the praise for all things big, small, trite, and important. He's God. He's the Master and Commander of our lives and we need to show Him thanksgiving and praise for it!! No matter what the trial is, He knows what you can handle. He knows you so well that every hair on your head has a number. And that's something I have to constantly remind myself. I've put myself into certain situations because God has given me the power of choice. He's brought me out of a lot of dangerous situations and I thank Him daily for that!!! I don't cry those tears of shame and embarrassment from the past relationship anymore! Now it's more tears of joy and happiness. (Although, tears of stress and frustration do come out. I am, after all, human!)
My gratitude about the relationship of damage is abundant! I know that's hard to understand. Because how can I come out of a relationship of damage and be grateful about it? Right? That's more than likely the first question that popped into your head. How can she be grateful that she had a relationship of damage? That's crazy! Okay, first--let me define a relationship of damage. A relationship that of a person or persons who are abused; physically, emotionally, or mentally. A relationship of damage! I won't explain details right off the bat. I'll save that for later. I'm grateful for that relationship of damage. I know it sounds very odd. Hear me out!
Romans 8:18-30
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (NIV)
I'm supposed to what? Praise Him for putting through a trial, such as a relationship of damage? Are you kidding? Crazy, right? But I do. And here's five reasons why.
- I'm alive
- I've got a family who loves me
- I was able to leave the situation, despite leaving my home, my friends and family.
- God put people in my life that found me as more than just another pretty face.
- Resentment and anger was mine to lose and grace, love and peace was mine to gain!
What, then, should I say to God to praise Him? Should I just say "Praise Your Name, Lord?" Or is it more than that? Well of course it's more than that. What's the end goal of praising God? There's no end to praising Him. Seriously! There's no end to your praise to God, His Son, or the Holy Spirit.
Deuteronomy 10:21
He is thy praise, and He is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. (KJV)
So God's always in control and He should be your praise, no matter the situation. In good, bad or indifferent situations. And that's what I wasn't seeing. I was blinded by my anger. It's okay to be angry. Christ was angered that vendors had turned His temple into a marketplace and the vendors were ripping poor people off. And He gave them wrath! However, that's the only time (John 2:15) that it mentions Christ getting angry. God was angry with the Israelites all the time. Keep in mind, the Israelites are a Jewish nation. All over Deuteronomy, God tells the Israelites to enter the Promised Land and they didn't for forty years. Forty years! That takes place in the book of Joshua. Here's my take on it. The Israelites were scared! They didn't believe that God would actually protect them. When they did finally enter the Promised Land, the Israelites saw that God was right all along. So I'd decided that maybe I should rephrase my prayers. Lord, please help me to forgive those who have sinned against me, even if it's Your fault. I actually said that prayer for about six months. When I told a couple of people that I was saying that prayer, including Travis, I got looks like I was out of my mind. Someone asked, "Why is it God's fault that someone sins against you?" My answer was simple. "Because He let me stay in an abusive relationship." There it is! Travis caught me with that! He said, "But the Lord gives you the power of choice and you chose to stay with the one who abused you. You thought you could change him. Don't tell me I'm wrong either because I've seen that more than once!" He was right. I couldn't deny that I'd stayed in a relationship of damage. I still wasn't displaying the right attitude of praise though. How would I do that? How could I change my attitude? I still ask myself these things everyday!
Thanksgiving
Colossians 3:15-17
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.(NIV)
Praise and thanksgiving go hand in hand. I may have some scriptures say the same thing about both. I'm thankful because I'm alive! I have made a decision to live the way most people would not take seriously. It frustrates some people in my circle of friends, but once they realize that I'm happier this way, they let it go.
Jonah 2:9
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”(NIV)
Even Jonah praised and thanked God for all the things that happened to him. I'm not sure how happy I'd be if I were swallowed by a huge fish. (Whether it was a huge fish or a whale, I'm not sure. That's not my point.) I grew up in a two-story house in the suburbs, times are different.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (KJV)
Give thanks for everything. And in every thing, give thanks. It seems simple enough, right? How do we do that? Do we ask God to give us the ability to have thanksgiving in our hearts for Him? Is it something we learn or just something we're born with? This relationship of damage has made an imprint on me. I've never had something this dramatic happen to me. There are questions below for you to answer for yourself. No one else but you.
Daniel 2:23
He is thy praise, and He is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen. (KJV)
This verse is an echo of Deuteronomy 10:21. Praise and thanksgiving to God on the Highest! If I can open my eyes in the morning, I praise and thank Him. If I'm able to talk to my family, I praise and thank Him. If I'm able to attend a college course or two or three, I praise and thank Him. If someone is willing to put their life or lives on the line so I can worship Him without persecution, I praise and thank God for creating men and women willing to do so! Give Him praise and thanksgiving for the air you're breathing, for the car you're driving and even for the ability to have five senses. And even if you don't have all five senses, the United States has come a long way in order to help those with blindness, deafness and other abilities. I dislike the word disability due to the fact that it's commonly misused in the world today.
When I'm praising God, is my heart in the right place?
Have I examined my intentions?
When I'm giving thanks for all my blessings, is my heart in the right place?
Do I have the correct attitude when I'm praising and thanking God for all the big, small, trite and important things in my life?
Does my praising and thanksgiving attitude show in my actions to others in the workplace, at school, at home, at the store and anywhere else I go?
Do you begin your day by talking to God?
Am I praising God in all situations, whether good, bad or indifferent?
Am I praising Him in daily activities (work, school, etc)?
I ask these questions because I'd like you to examine your attitude of gratitude and praise. Keep your Bible handy and a writing utensil and/or highlighter! I strongly recommend you take notes as well and keep them around. After a certain amount of time, you'll find the notes and scriptures and remember how you were feeling and your attitude when you started this process and how much progress you've made! I look back at all the decisions, mistakes, choices, and progress that I've made and I'll be honest; I couldn't have done it without the Lord! He put obstacles in my way and people in my life that I wouldn't be the same without them! Keep in mind: David praised God in the Psalms and Peter and Paul praised and gave thanksgiving in their letters to the churches they wrote to all over.
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