Persistent In Praise - May 26

Read Colossians 3:15-17

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Reflect

What are the benefits of praising God? What does it do for you? What does it do for others?

In 2022, Gallup released a poll about the happiness, satisfaction, and contentment of the average American. The results were pretty sad. Only 38% of Americans feel content with their life circumstances. Now, if you look at the past few years, I get it. Life hasn’t been a walk in the park.

No matter who you are or where you live, all of us experience trials, troubles, and tragedies in this life. And yet, some people are more content and happy than others. What is it that makes such a difference? I propose that it is an attitude of gratitude.

I know from experience that persisting in praising God—even in the midst of my pain and problems—glorifies Him, encourages others, and uplifts my own soul. Sometimes I get so down or overwhelmed with life that I forget the truth. There is always something I can praise God for, even if it is simply for who He is!

In today’s passage, the apostle Paul urged the believers at Colossae to be people full of God’s peace, His Word, wisdom, praise, and thanksgiving, all in the name of the Lord. Paul had been explaining to them that they should put aside the sinful lifestyle of their old selves and “...put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:10). He then went on to list character traits of the new self in Christ and it is in this section that we find today’s passage.

Did you notice that Paul told them to be thankful twice? As believers in Christ, thankfulness, gratitude, and praise should overflow out of our hearts! It is a marker of our being filled and changed by the Holy Spirit. God’s people should be known for persistently praising God!

There are great benefits to living a life of gratitude and praise. Number one, it glorifies God which is our ultimate purpose! God created us to glorify Him and when we fulfill that role, our praise points others to their Creator and Savior.

Number two, praising God encourages others. If you’ve ever been around a negative person, you know just how quickly your own happiness is affected. But the opposite is also true. Being around people who are full of genuine joy and peace is good for the soul! I am always so grateful when a brother or sister in Christ exudes contentment, thankfulness, and joy because it encourages me to do the same.

Number three, praising God is good for your soul, too. Like many other people, I have struggled with depression and anxiety. When life gets me down, I have found the best way to turn my heart around is to focus on praising the Lord instead of focusing on my problems. Joni Erickson Tada once said that we should “glance at our problems, but gaze at Jesus”. When I lift my voice to sing praises to God, even when I don’t feel like it, I’ve discovered that my heart often catches up to my words. And when I start counting all of the ways that God has blessed me instead of dwelling on my hurts and worries, His peace floods in and rules in my heart.

As we consider what faithful Christian living looks like this week, remember that the Bible says believers should not be known for their grumbling, negativity, and bitterness (1 Corinthians 10:10, James 5:9, Philippians 2:14, 1 Peter 4:9). We were created to praise and glorify God! As we consider all that He is and everything He’s done for us, Christians should be persistent praisers!

Respond

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name” (Psalm 103:1). Lord, for everything You are and for everything You’ve done, I praise and worship You! Amen.

Reveal

Go public with your praise and thanksgiving! Praise God out loud in the presence of someone else (whether they are a believer or not). Reveal how grateful you are for what God is doing in your life.