Pray and Rejoice

Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise? PSALM 106:1-2 

Do we come to God only with our problems? God loves to hear our prayers of praise and gratitude as well. We can become so focused on the problems we want Him to fix for us and others that they consume us. It is easy to take the good things God does for us for granted. What does our prayer life look like? Do we send up praise to Him even when times are difficult? Do we thank Him for something as simple as having food to eat today or making it to work on time when we thought we'd be late? 

God wants to hear from us in all things. Praise flows naturally when we pause to remember that all blessings flow from Him. At church when I was growing up, we’d often say the Doxology written by Thomas Ken: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise Him, all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.” 

How about praising God during the storms of life? This practice will help us grow in our faith, making it easier to lean on Him as new storms arise, because we have learned that He knows what’s best! 

Whatever our situations are today, we can pray confidently, knowing our words will be heard. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus. He’s got this! 

GO FOR IT! 

Do you pray with no strings attached? During your prayer time today, think about a few things for which you can offer either thanksgiving or praise. Next, what storms can you pray about and tell God you’ll trust Him through? Last, bring your needs and the needs of others to Him in prayer. How will it change your prayer life now that you know you can pray through it all? 

This is an excerpt from Go For It: Boldly Live the Life God Created For You by Melissa Horvath – a new devotional journal now available for pre-order on DaySpring.com. Shop all books, journals, and devotions from DaySpring here.