We may not have realized it yet, but it’s seeping through to the surface. I have seen videos (skits), movies with the message of gratitude. The narrative being pushed? We all know it. ” When you come before GOD, instead of complaining and asking for things you’re still believing for, praise GOD, appreciate HIM and then HE will bless you”. It’s been sinking in, I myself too found myself caught up in it.
Let me tell you what this has done and is doing to us, it’s made us not truly worship. If we sincerely look deeper, we will realize that with each praise, each show of gratitude to our Maker, we are expecting something, double promotion, double miracle, name them, things probably more than what we even think. I mean, when you praise GOD HE stands up from HIS throne right? We force HIS hand to move, isn’t it? So when we try to praise, we hope to force HIM to do something for us.
Well, how about praising HIM and not getting anything? Have we thought of that? Maybe the thought has crept in, and we silenced it, binding and casting every “evil voice”
We really need to come to a place of genuine thanksgiving. Thanksgiving for life, for JESUS, for the blood that HE shed, for every good thing HE has given to you. The scripture tells us that every good and perfect thing is from the LORD, how about appreciating HIM for that? The Psalmist says, my soul forget not HIS benefits. When you begin to see just how good HE has been, you’ll find yourself bursting out I’m praise without thinking of your request.
Am I saying don’t make requests? No. 🙉 I’m saying we should not use our praise as a means of exchange, let our praise not be transactional. Yes, we may have been doing it subconsciously because of what our mind has been fed with (this is the power of media), but we’ve become conscious now, so let’s begin to refeed our minds. The scripture is the perfect tool to begin with.
Let’s praise with reckless abandon. Let’s praise not expecting anything in return. Let’s praise because HE is GOD and we reverence HIM. This is the true praise, one from the depths of our soul. Let’s make praise a lifestyle.