Saturday mornings have always seemed to invite a slower pace. There is something about the quiet of a weekend morning that makes it easier to pause, breathe deeply, and notice the things we often rush past during the week. Maybe it's the first cup of coffee, the sound of birds outside the window, the gentle breeze moving through the trees, or simply the gift of having nowhere we have to be for a little while. These quiet moments can become invitations from God to slow down and remember Him. And lately I've been thinking about the word praise.
We often think of praise as something we do when we're in church, when we're singing a beautiful hymn, or when God has answered a prayer we've been praying for a long time. And certainly, those are wonderful reasons to praise Him. But Hebrews 13:15 takes praise a little deeper. It tells us to continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise. A sacrifice. That word makes me stop. Because if praise is always easy, it doesn't feel much like a sacrifice.
It's easy to praise God when the doctor says everything looks good, when the bills are paid, when our children are doing well, when our relationships are peaceful, and when life seems to be falling neatly into place. But what about the days when we're worried? What about the unanswered prayers, the disappointments, the empty chair at the table, the strained relationship, the diagnosis we didn't expect, or the uncertainty about what tomorrow may bring? Can we praise Him then? I believe that's where our praise becomes something much more than words. It becomes an act of faith.
Psalm 34:1 says, “I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” David didn't say he would praise God only when life was going well. He said at all times. That doesn't mean we have to pretend everything is wonderful. Faith doesn't require us to deny our pain. We can be honest with God about our sadness, our disappointment, our fear, and our questions. But even while we are hurting, we can still say, “Lord, I don't understand this, but I know You are with me.”
That is praise.
So what does continual praise actually look like in everyday life? Sometimes it begins with something as simple as starting our morning with gratitude. Before we pick up our phones and begin thinking about everything that needs to be done, we can pause and thank God for three things. They don't have to be extraordinary. Thank Him for another morning. Thank Him for the people you love. Thank Him for the roof over your head, the food in your kitchen, the sunshine coming through the window, or simply the breath in your lungs. Gratitude has a way of changing what we notice.
We can also turn our complaints into conversations with God. We all complain sometimes. It's part of being human. But perhaps the next time we hear ourselves saying, “I can't believe this is happening,” we can stop and add, “Lord, help me through it.” Instead of allowing frustration to have the final word, we can turn our words toward the One who already knows what we're facing.
We can praise God for who He is rather than only for what He does. That's an important distinction. If our praise depends entirely upon receiving what we want, then what happens when the answer is “wait” or “no”? God is still worthy. He is still faithful. He is still good. Psalm 100:5 reminds us, “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
We can also use Scripture when we don't know what to say. There are days when our hearts are so heavy that praise doesn't come naturally. On those days, we can borrow the words God has already given us. We can whisper, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). We can repeat, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; His love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1). Sometimes Scripture can carry us when our own words cannot.
And then there is something else we can do: look for God's fingerprints in the ordinary. Maybe it's a beautiful sunrise. A child's laughter. A phone call from someone you love. A bird perched outside your window. The smell of something baking in the kitchen. A cool breeze after a long, hot summer. A quiet moment with your husband. A good book. A cup of coffee enjoyed without rushing. These things may seem small, but small blessings are still blessings.
Sometimes we are so busy waiting for God to do something extraordinary that we fail to notice how much beauty He has already placed in our ordinary days. And perhaps one of the most powerful ways we can praise God is to praise Him before we see the answer. That's difficult. We want to wait until the storm passes before we sing. We want to see the healing before we say thank you. We want the door to open before we declare that God is faithful. But faith sometimes whispers, “I don't see the answer yet, but I trust the One who holds the answer.” Habakkuk expressed that kind of faith when he wrote, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:18). Even then. Even when circumstances were uncertain. Even when things weren't going the way he wanted. Yet I will rejoice. That may be the purest kind of praise there is.
So this Saturday, before the week begins again, perhaps we can practice offering God a sacrifice of praise. Not because our lives are perfect. Not because every prayer has been answered. Not because we have everything we want. But because He is worthy.
Take a few quiet moments today and thank God for five things. Write them down if you can. Then think about one difficult circumstance in your life and deliberately place it in His hands. You don't have to understand it. You don't have to know how it will turn out. Simply tell Him, “Lord, I trust You with this.” And then praise Him. Praise Him in the waiting. Praise Him in the ordinary. Praise Him in the uncertainty. Praise Him in the morning and in the evening. Praise Him when the answer comes, and praise Him while you're still waiting for it. Because sometimes the greatest testimony isn't that God changed our circumstances. Sometimes it's that He changed our hearts in the middle of them. And that, my friends, is a sacrifice of praise.
Gracious Heavenly Father,
Thank You for this quiet Saturday and for the opportunity to slow down and remember that You are good.
Teach me to praise You continually. Not only when life is going the way I want, but when I am waiting, wondering, hurting, and uncertain. Help me remember that my circumstances do not determine Your goodness.
Give me eyes to see the blessings I often overlook. Help me notice the little gifts You scatter throughout my ordinary days. When I am tempted to complain, turn my heart toward gratitude. When I don't know what to say, remind me of Your Word.
And when I am waiting for an answer, give me the faith to praise You before I see it.
Lord, let my life be an offering to You. Let my words bring encouragement, my actions reflect Your love, and my heart remain grateful even when the road is difficult.
Today I choose to praise You, not because everything is perfect, but because You are faithful. You are good. You are present. And You are worthy of my praise.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
Everyday Devotionals by Bonnie Annis
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