Getting Rid Of Conditional Praise

[hldude]

“Getting Rid Of Conditional Praise”
By Zach Wood
Psalm 34:1-3 TLB
I will praise the Lord no matter what happens. I will constantly speak of his glories and grace. I will boast of all his kindness to me. Let all who are discouraged take heart. Let us praise the Lord together and exalt his name.

Back in 2006, the movie “Facing The Giants” came out and was a very inspirational football story. One of the scenes shows the coach, Grant Taylor, talking to the team and explaining that they will start praying and praising God at the end of each game, whether they win or lose. This sets a great attitude for the team as they focus on God being their source of strength no matter the outcome of the game.

As I read this passage in the Living Bible translation, the words “praise the Lord no matter what happens” stood out to me and reminded me of the scene from the movie. I thought about how it is so easy to praise God when things are going well and the outcomes of different situations of every day life are good. However, when things turn out bad or don’t go the way we had hoped, it’s often harder to continue to lift up praise.

I admit that I am very bad about this conditional praise many times in my life. It is so easy for me to praise Him when life is going well. However, when bad days come, I’m not praising Him so much. Rather, I’m complaining and grumbling. I’m trying to be better about this, but it’s a weak area for me.

In order for me to be a better witness to my wife, kids and others in my life, I need to improve the way I react to situations when bad things happen. I need to have an attitude of thanks when life is good and when life is not so good. I need to have constant praise in my life each day, no matter what is going on.

How about you? Are you praising the Lord no matter what happens in your life each day? Are you focused more on the aggravations of what is not going well or are you finding ways to praise God no matter what is happening? It is hard to do!!! Not an easy task at all.

We need to have an attitude of praise always. Whether we feel we are winning in life or losing, He is God and is always faithful. His goodness does not change in our bad days. Does this mean we can’t be discouraged? No, we are human and we have bad days. We just need to work through that discouragement and realize that things will pass and we need to keep our attitude in check and continue to give God praise.

We should never be conditional with our praise. God deserves our praise, no matter what.

 

[Corn Pop]

How can someone focus on two things at once?. How is someone suppose to praise the Lord consitently why they are studying and focusing on an exam for example, or trying to work, they could lose focus on what they are doing.

Praising the Lord while trying to do a job that involves full concentration and focus could cause serious injury. But if God is walking with with you and the kingdom of God is within you then it's all good.

 

[for_his_glory]

Maybe it's because I am much older now that I learned through the years to praise God in the good and bad times as you just have to trust Him in all things as He has our well-being in His hands.

Matthew 24:13 says that those who endure until the end shall be saved. This means enduring all the trials and tribulations that this world will bring against us for the sake of our witness and testimony of Christ, Acts 14:22, Rev 2:10. The end means the end of our days here on this present earth when those in the grave and we who are still alive at His coming will then be caught up to Christ and are saved at that time as we have endured all things and never gave up our faith in Christ.

God's word never said we would not go through trials or tribulations, but through many trials and tribulations if we endure until the end then we will see the Kingdom of God, Acts 14:22, as we are all called into discipleship as we share our witness and testimony with those who have not yet repented and turned back to God. Below are twenty reasons why God allows us to go through trials and tribulations so that we will always remain in His will.


Why God allows us to go through trials and tribulations:
1. Training as God prepares us for the future
2. Patience as we rely and trust in God's timing
3. Perseverance through trials that we remain in Gods will
4. Trust as God's ways are not our ways and He has a better plan for us
5. To learn from our mistakes
6. To humble ourselves before Him
7. To discipline us
8. Teach us to be dependent on Him alone
9. To spend quiet time with God so He can speak to us
10. To teach us of His protection
11. That we also share in the sufferings of Christ that we be not ashamed
12. Strengthen us to become more like Christ
13. To develop character
14. Build up our faith in the Lord
15. For a testimony and witness to help others
16. To show us sin in our lives that we need to own up to having
17. To remind us that God is in control
18. Helps us gain knowledge and understanding God's word
19. Teaches us to be thankful
20. To take our mind off the things of the world and and put them back on God