How Do You Sound?

There is a small book toward the end of the Old Testament by the name of Habakkuk. In this small book is one of the largest truths given to us in the Bible. In chapter 3, verses 17 and 18, the Good News Bible says, "Even though the fig trees have no fruit and no grapes grow on the vines, even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no grain, even though the sheep all die and the cattle stalls are empty, I will still be joyful and glad, because the LORD God is my savior."

What a determined way of thinking! Actually, what a determined way of living!! See, The Lord our God is a good God, and HE deserves all of our praise. HE actually commands us to praise HIM in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 , from the Message translation, "Thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live." . See, we really don't even have the right to not praise HIM. In Habakkuk, we see that no matter what is happening, how things are going, the writer of this book said, "I will still be joyful and glad..."

It is easy for us to give God praise when everything is going pretty well in our lives. Not much of a problem to praise God when you are on the mountaintop. But when things begin to get a little uncertain, or troublesome, the praise that is in our mouth seems to dry up like a creek in the hot summer. Many times, we then begin to struggle in our walk with the Lord. But God wants us to realize that when we praise Him, we are showing that our confidence and faith are in God! We are putting, and keeping, our trust in HIM!!

Our scripture in Habakkuk lists all kinds of things going wrong, problems happening. Just like some of the things going on in your life and in my life. We may have all kinds of things going wrong, not working out the way we wanted them to, or hoped they would. Poor me! I feel so sorry for me! Nothing ever goes my way! That is the sound of defeat! But you know something? All those problems do not change God at all!! He deserves our praise! Even when we don't feel like it, or even want to!

See, everything you and I do in this walk with HIM is by faith. God never intended for us to walk this walk by our feelings. If that were the case then about half the time we wouldn't even feel like the child of God! In Hebrews 11:6 in the Good News Bible it says, "No one can please God without faith, for whoever comes to God must have faith that God exists and rewards those who seek him." Praise is the biggest act of faith you and I can operate in. As I said in an earlier post, purposeful praise increases faith.

I know some of us may be facing huge things on the horizon, but, even in the midst of facing these things, God has not changed!! Giving praise to HIM in these times is what helps keep our focus on Jesus and not the problems. HE is a Great Big God and HE deserves Great Big Praise.

Psalms 34:1, again in the Good News Bible, says, "I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him."

Psalms 33:1, from the Message translation says, "Good people, cheer GOD! Right-living people sound best when praising."

So, how do you sound?