WEEK FOUR: SHOUT OF PRAISE

“Thank you” is a phrase most of us use on a regular basis. When someone does something for us, we say thank you. When we receive a gift or someone compliments us, we say thank you. And we should! However, I wonder how often we are truly thankful for what was said or done, or how often it is simply a reflex reaction with little or no authenticity behind it.

So now, how about when we say thank you to God? Worship is to be a celebration of who God is and what he has done. It’s a time to rejoice in his goodness, provision, and protection in our lives. It is about gratitude and thankfulness which becomes a fuel that fills our life.

When we are filled with thankfulness and gratitude, our lives become a reflection of that gratitude. It pushes us to do for others. It motivates us to do things that are selfless and to reflect the goodness and love of God. That gratitude becomes our attitude that fills—then fuels—your life.

You see, whatever shapes your attitude becomes the energy of life. When your attitude is sour, life is fueled by frustration… and it becomes filled with disappointment and fueled by discouragement. But when your attitude is fueled by gratitude, your life become focused on thankfulness.

In this season of Thanksgiving, I challenge you to take a few moments to remember who God has been in your life. Set aside some time to reflect on the goodness that God has shown you and the things he has done for you. Let this be your praise story, and then in your thankfulness, celebrate it through your worship of God.

No one wants to be part of a desperate struggle or caught in a difficult situation, but it is in those moments that we can see how God moves, provides, and protects. It is in these moments that he is creating future worship opportunities in your life. He is stirring up praise that will help carry us through the next storm we face.

Our gratitude and thankfulness will not prevent any future problems from coming our way, but they will celebrate the victories of God when defeat seems to be the only thing around us, saying thank you even before you receive your miracle. What if what you are going through right now is for the sake of others to hear? What if it is about how God wants to show up in your life so that you can share what God has done with someone else struggling to make it through?

Share you story of gratitude and thankfulness of who God is and what he has done. It most likely will help someone else.