Praise Will Restore Your Joy!

No matter how strong your faith, no matter how long you have been a Christian, no matter how great your life seems to be going, there may still come times of doubt, depression, or perhaps a feeling of distance from God.  First of all, know that it's normal, even okay to feel that way sometimes.  God understands.  As a matter of fact, He understands us better than we understand ourselves.  Don't let guilt about your feelings add to your sadness.  That can create a snowball effect, digging an even deeper chasm of depression, more guilt, more depression, more guilt, more depression. . .  and before you know it, you are feeling bitter, angry, and alone.

Instead, stop at the first sign of doubt or depression, admit your feelings to God, and then offer praise to Him for who He is.  God tells us in Psalm 46:10 (American Standard Version), "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 

This is how the Bing Dictionary defines exalt: 
     1.  praise somebody or something: to praise or worship somebody or  something 

     2.  promote somebody or something: to raise somebody or something in rank, position, or esteem

     3.  intensify something: to increase the intensity or effect of something

     Synonyms: promote, raise, elevate, intensify, boost, lift

Praise, or exaltation, is entirely different from thanksgiving.  Yes, we should thank God for what He does for us, as prescribed in Psalm 95:2 (American Standard Version), "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving," but that is not the same as praise.  Praise is based on who God is, not what He does for us.  Our faith in God should enable us to praise Him for who He is, even when things are not going as we would like them to, even when we feel like He hasn't answered our prayers, even when His answer is not the answer we wanted.

In order to praise God, we must first know who God is and who He is not.  He is not a god that we create in our own imagination, to suit our preconceived idea of what our own personal god should be.  God is not our fairy godmother, hanging around, waiting to fulfill our every desire.  He is not a genie we can conjure up to grant us three wishes whenever we follow some magic ritual.  He is not an angel sitting on our shoulder, waiting for us to choose between his guidance and the temptation of an impish red devil sitting on our other shoulder.  God created us in HIS image, so we should not try to create a god in OUR image. 

To learn more about who God truly is, read His word, the Bible; join a Bible study group (I HIGHLY recommend Bible Study Fellowship); attend a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church.  I would also recommend a book, "Fully in Focus," by my dear friend Carol Graves (FullyInFocus.com).  This book is a collection of scriptures that illustrate SOME of God's many attributes.  Here are a few to get you started:
God is the CREATOR:  "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  (Genesis 1:1, New King James Version) 

• God is ABLE:  "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus unto all generations for ever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21, American Standard Version)
• God is the ONE God:  "You surely believe there is only one God. That’s fine. Even demons believe this, and it makes them shake with fear." (James 2:19, Contemporary English Version)
• God is GOOD, He ENDURES, He is FAITHFUL:  "For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations."  (Psalm 100:5, English Standard Version)
• God is LOVE:   ^"but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  (Romans 5:8, English Standard Version)
• God JUDGES:  "Who can tell God what to do?  He judges powerful rulers." (Job 21:22, Contemporary English Version)
• God is GRACIOUS, He is POWERFUL, He is capable of WRATH:  "The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him." (Ezra 8:22b, King James Version)
• God AVENGES, He LIVES:  "For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord.  And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.'  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."  (Hebrews 10:30-31, New King James Version)
• God is FAITHFUL, He is JUST, He FORGIVES, He CLEANSES:  "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, New King James Version) 
• God is our FATHER, He is CHANGELESS:  "Every good gift, every perfect gift, comes from above. These gifts come down from the Father, the creator of the heavenly lights, in whose character there is no change at all."  (James 1:17, Common English Bible)

I hope you will join me in praising God this week.  You will be amazed at how your joy is restored after spending time praising God.  I hope that you will join me in this prayer of praise this week, taken from Habakkuk 3:17-19 (The Message): 

Though the cherry trees don’t blossom
and the strawberries don’t ripen,
Though the apples are worm-eaten
and the wheat fields stunted,
Though the sheep pens are sheepless
and the cattle barns empty,
(Though nothing is going my way
or turning out how I had planned,)
I’m singing joyful praise to God.
I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on God's Rule to prevail,
I take heart and gain strength.
I run like a deer.
I feel like I’m king of the mountain!