Life is full of ups and downs. We all come across hardships in our lives that we would like to complain about. Today, I’m asking a simple question with this devotional. Are you going through your daily walk praising God or are you complaining to Him about your life? Are you telling Him everything that is wrong-—your job, finances, kids, health—-or are you praising Him for another day?
Sometimes it is hard to praise God when nothing is going our way in life and it seems that God is not answering our prayers. When God is silent, it doesn’t necessarily mean He is saying, "No." He might be saying, "Wait my child. My timing is not yours" (
1 Samuel 1). We have to remember that God does not work on our timetable. His ways are not our ways.
Isaiah 55, verse 8 says, "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord."
Verse 9 continues, "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." God has reasons for taking His time—-reasons which are not always readily revealed (
Psalm 37:34).
Praise needs to be a part of our daily walk-—when we are driving down the road, cleaning house or just taking a few minutes out of our busy day to pause and give God thanks. David praised the Lord
at least seven times a day.
Psalm 119:64 says, "Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws." Imagine what could happen if you and I praised the Lord instead of complaining to Him about all of our troubles.
I want to share with you this true story. One day I was contemplating about my brother’s new house that he had bought. In my mind I was thinking, "My brother has this beautiful four-bedroom house near a lake. Every room has wooden floors and it even has two fireplaces." But with my mouth, I began complaining to the Lord about how my husband and I have never owned our own house. One of my heart’s desires is to have a huge house with wooden floors. In my heart, I began to be envious because I am obeying the Lord and doing everything He wants me to do, but I am not getting what I have asked.
Everything my husband, Daniel, and I own has been used items that were given to us by family members. As I was making my hand-me-down bed and complaining to the Lord, God began to speak to my heart. He reminded me that He once walked this earth and had nowhere to lay His head. He dealt with the same issues that we deal with. He felt lonely, afraid, neglected, and unloved. He felt sorrow and pain. In
Matthew 8:20, Jesus said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Once I understood this, I immediately went to the Lord to repent for my complaining. I said, "Lord, thank you for this hand-me-down bed I have to rest my head upon at night. Forgive me Father for my complaining."
Some nights I am so tired. Still, before I lay my head on the pillow, I stop and thank the Lord for my bed. The Lord blesses us daily with the simple necessities of life that we take for granted—things like clean drinking water, warm hot bathes and an abundance of food. People in foreign countries are not blessed to have the luxuries we have here in America.
Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." We do not need to be afraid of what tomorrow holds because God holds us in the palm of His hand (
Matthew 6:31-34).
My prayer is that we will never forget the privileges of God’s gracious hand of mercy and the love that He gives to us. We richly enjoy our freedoms of plenty as a nation (
2 Chronicles 7:14). He promises in
Psalm 37:25-26, "I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread." With everything that is going on in our economy, let us take time out of our busy schedule to find a reason to praise the Lord (
Hebrews 13:15). I know things are not easy. You may be out of a job, struggling with sickness or having family issues. Know that God cares about everything in your life that concerns you.
I’m reminded of the song by Don Moen that says, "He will make a way where there seems to be no way." I can remember singing that song to the Lord while paying bills and there was no money in our account. God did a miracle for us and He will do the same for you. He is not a respecter of persons (
James 2:1). At the bottom of the page I have listed the words to this wonderful song. Go ahead and just sing them to yourself and let the lyrics sink deep into your spirit.
In 2000, I was in a very bad automobile crash and the doctors gave my family no hope. They told them that I might not live and, if I did, I would remember nothing. But Praise God, I can remember everything! There is no trace of amnesia. I used to have a wheelchair and walker. My speech was slurred and I could barely write. Now I am getting better every day. I can cook, clean and exercise. My speech has improved and I write much better. We serve an awesome God! I do not drive because my reflexes are slow and the crash inhibited my vision. Some days it’s hard and I struggle, but I wake up in the morning and say, "Good Morning Lord!" I’m so thankful to be alive and share the good news with others about a risen savior that loves us tremendously. So, I want to encourage you today to find something you can praise the Lord about and give God thanks in everything!
"God Will Make A Way" by Don Moen
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength
For each new day
He will make a way
He will make a way
By a roadway in the wilderness
He'll lead me
And rivers in the desert will I see
Heaven and earth will fade
But His Word will still remain
He will do something new today
Maybe you’ve never asked Jesus to come into your heart to become your Lord and Savior. This is the most important prayer you will ever pray. Do it today and do not wait. Today is the day of salvation and now is the time of God’s favor. Commit your life to Jesus. Surrender your will and way. Pray this prayer of salvation and mean it in your heart:
"Dear Jesus, I am a sinner in need of a Savior. Come into my heart and save me. I want to be born-again. Forgive me of all my sins. Wash me and cleanse me with Your atoning blood. I receive You now. Amen"
If you said this prayer and meant it with all your heart, then you are on your way to heaven. You’ll be ready for whatever comes your way. This is the most important prayer you will ever pray. I want you to know that God loves you very much, and He has a great plan in store for you! Walk with Him daily, read His word, fellowship with other believers in the Lord, and find a church that preaches the entire Word of God.
