Praise Him

It is good to praise the LORD … proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night.
Psalm 92:1-2

Psalm 92 is an invitation to begin and end each day by giving thanks to God for His love and faithfulness. The Living Bible paraphrased it this way: “Every morning thank him for his kindness, and every evening rejoice in all his faithfulness.”

But what if you don’t look forward to a new day? It’s easy to be thankful when everything is going our way. But what if your health is failing or you are missing a loved one? How do we give thanks when life is more challenging?

A friend showed me that it is possible to give thanks regardless. Every time I went to visit him, he would say, “God is so good.” That was his testimony, even though he had been confined to his bed for several months, unable to walk without a great deal of assistance. When I asked him how he could say that, he said, “When I became ill, I was bitter. I used to ask, ‘Why me?’ But God’s grace has made it possible for me to thank Him every day for His faithfulness.”

If it seems almost impossible to thank God, ask Him for grace to learn to say thank-you in spite of your difficult circumstances. In Romans 8:39 the apostle Paul tells us why: nothing can “separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” That, says Paul, is reason enough to give thanks.

Lord, give us the grace to praise You in spite of all the challenges we may face. Help us keep our hearts and eyes focused on You and the signs of Your love, that cause us to praise You. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Inspired by a Today Devotion

The Goodness of God

Bobbie Hoffman