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Seriously, is praise and worship a meaningful part of your relationship with God?

I'll be the first to say I don't do it enough. But it sure is a needed component in a Christian life... I've heard it said before, "When you visit God with praise, He visits your circumstances with power." I believe it.

These last 2 months, I have been slandered, falsely accused, threatened, nearly lost my home, did lose my job -- my best friend is in the hospital for some kind of currently unknown neurological disorder, and my first reaction to these things haven't been to pray or to praise. My first reaction was bitterness, sin, plots for payback, a deep-seated anger towards my enemies. We have been hurting in my household, scrimping by on ramen noodles and bologna sandwiches. I'm currently in a grievance process with my union trying to get my job back, so keep me in your prayers, if you will. But moving on. I was losing sight of the prize at the end, and not counting the cost, and worst of all, I had lost my vision, that is, the vision which tells me that every single plot against me can be used as a means to lift me to higher levels in Christ, if only I will meekly and humbly endure, pray for those who persecute me, and praise through the storm.

After a couple of weeks of behaving like a toddler without a bottle, I got fed up with being fed up, and I went for a drive down to a little lake I know of. I popped in a praise CD I made awhile back and I turned on an old favorite -- "It Is Well with My Soul" -- and within the first verse I was sitting there in the Envoy, crying it all out. Yes, grown men cry, I feel for those who don't. I sang to Him. I sing horribly, but it came from my heart. I apologized for behaving so badly and letting my flesh dictate my responses rather than my spirit being in tune with His. And whatever my lot,Thou hast taught me to say, it is well. It is well with my soul.

I still don't know whether or not I'll get my job back. I imagine there are still folks slandering me. My buddy, God bless him, I don't know what's wrong with him. But I know that it is well. It's miraculous, truly miraculous that one encounter with God in praise, prayer and worship has given me peace like a river. Hopefully next time I'll remember that the answer isn't in bitterness, carnality or whining... but in Him.
 
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