praise
Years ago at a conference, the main speaker told a group of us that praises were the most important words you can give a child, an employee or any human being. If you want to talk “science” - the research indicates that there are multiple psychological effects of praise. Boosting self-esteem, improving and increasing work performance and giving power to people are just a few of the benefits of those praises.
Now and then I hear the story behind some of the worship songs I listen to. It is amazing how many struggles, heartaches and pains lead to the most amazing music! The heartfelt words resonnate with us and we feel connected through the lyrics. People have seen miracles when they praise God. I love to read the praises of King David from the Psalms.
I once heard a story about a woman missionary in China who contracted a deadly disease many years ago. She lay quarantined in a room, with no medical help for days on end and was given up to die.
The one thing she could do was pray and so, minute by minute, hour by hour, she pleaded with God to heal her. It seemed futile. Suddenly she was given a vision, much like kings and prophets of old were given.
She saw an old-fashioned scale, the kind often seen on justice statues, with a fulcrum and plates held by chains on each side. The scale she saw was heavily weighted on one side, while the other side was way up in the air because it was empty. The scale was clearly out of balance. (sometimes like our lives are)
When she questioned God about what she had seen, he revealed to her that the heavy side was her prayers—she had certainly prayed many of them—while the empty side was her praise. God revealed to her that the praise side needed to be filled to outweigh the trouble she was facing. When the scale was balanced, her healing would begin.
And so, this desperately sick woman stopped pleading for her healing and started praising God. She praised Him for His greatness, for sending Jesus to die for our sins and for all God’s blessings in her life. She praised Him for being her Savior, her healer, her provider, and for everything He’d ever done for her in every aspect of her life.
At first, she was so weak that her praises were mere whispers, but as she continued her praise and worship to God all day and all night, she grew louder. Some thought she was delirious, some feared for her life; but all were amazed when, after several days, she walked out of that room healed. She had taken “the praise cure” and she was completely made well. “https://goodsamatlanta.org/todays-virtual-good-sam-devotion-8-12-2020/
And so, for every plea, let there be a praise. Instead of just dwelling on our problems, our worries, and our sorrows, let’s fill our moments with praise.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100: 4-5
A great song to listen to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic8lWLV4nwY