Praise is a choice.

This has hit me more and more as I mature and walk through tough things, as those I love walk through deep and hard things. Praise and thanksgiving are not just something that we naturally feel during tough times.

It is easy to praise Him when everything is going well or going according to our plans. What is hard is when life throws us curveballs, pain, isolation, and all.

Praising and thanking God does not mean that we are not hurting or grieving. It does not mean that we like what happens. It means we are choosing to recognize His sovereignty and to admit that He is still good. It means we are giving Him glory in the hard as well as in the good.

The Bible even says that our praise and thanksgiving is a sacrifice. That means it is a choice and something that is not normal or easy.

Hebrews 13:15, “15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Heb 13:15.

A great Christian movie Facing the Giants says it well, “Grant Taylor: I want God to bless this team so much, people will talk about what He did. But it means we gotta give Him our best in every area. And if we win, we praise Him. And if we lose, we praise Him. Either way we honor Him with our actions and our attitudes. So I’m askin’ you… What are you living for? I resolve to give God everything I’ve got, then I’ll leave the results up to Him. I want to know if you’ll join me.”