Why You Should Always Start With Praise
One way to communicate with God is via prayer. Another way we can and should communicate with God is via praise. We can offer praise to God through speaking or singing. Praise benefits both God and us. Praise allows us to connect with God on a deeper level. I’d like to spend a little time sharing with you some things God has shown me about praise and specifically why it’s so important to always start with praise.
Over the years, God really impressed upon me the importance of praise. It’s honestly not an area that I’ve always been strong in. To me, praise and worship of God have always felt a little awkward (with the exception of praise and worship music at church). It seems a little fake if I try to praise God the way I’ve seen others do it in church and on TV. I’m not saying THEY were fake. It just didn’t feel genuine to me or seemed too forced when I would attempt to say things like “Oh Lord, you are most holy” or “You are worthy”. So since it just felt too weird, I simply didn’t do it.
Praise God for who you need him to be
Then God softly convicted me about my lack of praise. He showed me how I could still give praise to him without it feeling strange or insincere. I felt like God told me one day to just praise him for who I needed him to be. He wanted me to praise him for his attributes and characteristics that I needed to experience.
For example, if I need healing, I would say, “I praise you, God, because you are a Healer.” If I need comfort, I can say, “Praise God that you are my Comforter.” If I need to feel loved, I can praise, “Praise you Lord that you are Love. Your word says God is Love.” If I don’t know what to do in a situation or need direction, I can say, “Praise you, God, because you are my Guide.”
For me, this is a simple approach to praise. It doesn’t seem phony, forced, or unnatural. It’s almost like a prayer request, but instead, I am offering praise because it’s who God is. At the same time, praising this way gives me peace and reassurance because not only am I praising God, but I’m also reminding myself that God is the answer to whatever it is I need at the time.
Praising God reminds us of his benefits
“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1-5 (NIV)
