HE GIVES ROOM FOR PRAISE

A lot of people have developed the act of ‘smiling’, irrespective of their current situation. We see them in public gatherings and cell meetings, smiling and waving their hands like all is well. They dress well, so you can’t really tell what they are going through from their appearance. This is not always the case as some make it obvious to you that all is NOT well - In their speech and in their attitude to work. There is nothing wrong with concealing your difficulties, and there’s also nothing wrong with sharing with one or two people you believe can help you through it. ‘Helping’ here doesn’t necessarily mean giving you a solution to that problem, but it could mean reminding you of how much you declared God’s faithfulness when things were on track. It could also mean slipping in a few and words of encouragement to someone to remain steadfast in God.

I was chatting with a friend yesterday, and she testified about God’s goodness towards her in 2010. She didn’t even have to explain in details before I concluded that she personally decided to hang in there! I also told her about how things haven’t been going according to my expectations, but God has been faithful. In the midst of it all, I’m still strong and getting to know Him deeper. My level of confidence in Him amazes me at times, and so, when I say “it is well” I say it out of an understanding that ‘this too shall pass’. If I can’t fix it, then the least I can do is to be patient and leave it to the one who can…God can! “And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.” I John 5:14,15 (NLT)
Before we ended the chat, she said something that I found very profound - “God gives room for praise”

How ecstatic are you when giving God thanks for a mighty manifestation of something you’ve been praying for? Maybe you get a letter of employment from a company you’ve always dreamed of working at, or you get a scholarship award to study somewhere you never thought you’d study, considering your financial status. I can just imagine the kind of stunts you’ll indulge in while sharing your testimony. Okay. What about when your investment suddenly crumbles without a forewarning? Or you get home only meet the remains of a place you once called your haven, and every single thing – valuable and worthless – has turned into ashes. Less me guess. You’re going to look into the skies, asking “why me? Why me? Is this what I get for all my devotion to your word and your work?”

There is a song we used to sing “…when trouble comes my way, I will praise your name” But suddenly, some purported positive-minded people (sorry if you’re a victim) turned it to “…when success comes my way, I will praise your name” This makes me wonder, Since you’ve only made it obvious that you’d praise Him when success comes your way, what would you do when trouble comes your way? Issue Him a query? Choke Him with your nagging and reminder about your ‘favours’ to Him?
If that problem hasn’t taken your life, there’s still room for praise. "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord." - Psalm 150:6.

So if you still have breath in your nostrils and sickness strikes, or the pain becomes unbearable, or you have a broken heart, or you feel all hope is gone, let your praise shoot up, knowing well that Not praising Him won’t make things better. It’s not bad to praise Him when success comes your way, but it will be pure hypocrisy NOT to praise Him when trouble comes your way, because you and I shout on the roof top “Let EVERYTHING that has breath praise the Lord” Oh, my bad! I guess we remember certain scriptures ONLY when things are alright with you.

Fred Hammond, in His song ‘WHEN WE PRAISE’ said “When we praise, there should be a fire in our hearts. Hands up raise when we praise, consuming every part because WE KNOW that the God we serve will make His presence known, when we praise” We praise Him for the mighty things He has done, and the ones we expect Him to do (in faith). We call Him sweet names and speak of His wonders and what He can do, but do we really believe that there’s an insurance cover over us, In the case of unexpected trouble? Yes we do, but most times, just before we experience one. Suddenly, our tone of praise changes - we begin to praise and pray like we are obligated to do so.

Paul and Silas were accused of troubling the city, and they were thrust into the inner prison, after many stripes had being laid upon them. But the bible says “And at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.” Acts 16:25&26. Now this was a strange thing to do - Praising God in that condition. But that same God that showed up many years ago is the same God we serve, today. He brings favour our way when we praise Him irrespective of our circumstances.

It’s like asking your Dad for something, and when he says he doesn’t have it at that moment, you are like “Oh dad, that’s fine. Lemme go wash the car and fix you something to eat before you step out!” cos you remember those times when you didn’t even need to ask before He did stuff for you. He's touched to make efforts, next time. You cannot quit being His son because he couldn’t grant your request at that instance, can you? You still accord him the respect due a father. You still run errands. Going around with a frown won’t make your request granted, would it?

There is always room for praise, as long as there is still life in you. And praising God in difficult moments prompts Him to do things beyond our imagination. He sees a helpless but selfless man, when you praise Him despite your heartaches and pain.
So, I sympathize with everyone going through tough times. (I’m not having it all rosy at the moment) But this is the confidence I have in Him: He answers when I cry unto Him.

Once again, if you can’t fix it, the least you can do is to be patient with the one who can…God can!

There’s room for praise, right before you…what are you going to do?

“In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.” Psalm 120:1

God bless you, soldier!