If we were created to praise God, what are somethings that stops or impedes us from praising God?

In order to answer this ‘let’s be honest’ question we must first fully understand what is the biblical definition of praise. Praise is an outward expression that gives glory and honor to God. Praise magnifies the Lord. Praise is an intentional spoken or visible, physical act. We can’t just think God is good; we have to say it. We can’t just go and meditate on it or pray for others, we need to tell someone about God. Psalm 145:3 reminds us that, “Great is the Lord and worthy of much praise, whose grandeur is beyond understanding” and Psalm 150:6 confirms that, “Everything that has breath praise the Lord!”

With that said, when life sucks the life out of you or takes the wind out of your sails, it’s hard to look up to an invisible God and offer up a tangible praise you don’t have in your spirit to give. It’s hard to praise God when you are dying on the inside! It’s hard to praise God when you can’t see an immediate solution your problem. It’s hard to praise God when you have more debt than income! It’s hard to praise God when you children and/or spouse is acting like a prodigal! It’s hard to praise God when your supervisor or employee breaches their end of the agreement. It’s hard to praise God when you are judged by the color of your skin and not by the content of your integrity. It’s hard to praise God when people maliciously and spitefully slanders your name for personal gain! As I mentioned above, let’s be honest, it’s hard to praise God when you have nothing left in your tank that is praiseworthy.

Well, in order to truly differentiate between our call-to-praise from the reasons that stop our praise, we must first recognize that our circumstances (good or bad) should never control our praise because praise isn’t about us, it’s all about God!

In Psalm 34:1 David strongly reminds us the importance of living a life of continued praise to God. He starts the chapter by saying, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.” Did you catch that? David didn’t say sometimes, he said, “ALL TIMES!”

I don’t know about you, but I want to give God an ‘anyhow’ praise because I know what Romans 8:38-39 says. I know that nothing will every separate me from God’s love and that (at least for me) is my reason to praise Him. Not to mention, in Psalm 22:3 we are reminded that, “God Dwells in the praises of His people!”

So if you are going through a tough stent and you want a new and fresh perspective, lift your hands and voices up and give God what He rightfully deserves. Confuse the enemy by focusing on the Problem Solver rather than the problem. If praise can knocked down fortress built walls at Jericho, I am sure your praise can knocked down any obstacles standing in your way that is impeding you from doing what God created you to do!!

Praise is not the inevitable byproduct that comes when everything is going right in our lives; it is the driving force. Praise will get our focus where it needs to be—on God. If we start praising God in the middle of our problems, our problems will shrink so much that we’ll hardly remember to bring them to God! We’ll be so busy praising Him and thanking Him for His blessings that our problems will be an afterthought.