Praise and Thanksgiving

I will thank the Lord at all times. My mouth will always praise him.” Ps 34:1

Sunday I posted about how I felt God was telling me to praise him. I truly thought I had been doing that. I also stated that I felt him telling me that my love for him needed to be mature, more giving and less taking.

Well, here’s one reason why I love our God... He’s huge! He spoke to me that morning in my innermost being. Later that morning as I read my morning devotional it was entitled, “Extraordinary Love Gives”. This message focused on the fact that extraordinary love gives to God and lavishes him with our “praise”.  I was so excited about the fact that he knows my tendency to doubt so he put this message in writing for me as well! I literally stood in the kitchen and clapped my hands and jumped up and down. Yes, there are witnesses to this crazy display of praise! I spent the rest of the day just telling God how fabulous he is! Praising him for who he is and acknowledging how much my love for him grew that day because he showed me intimate love, grace, and yes, even conviction! I praised him because that’s just who he is! I also asked him to show me the difference between praise and thanksgiving. I needed to be taught. 

Nothing about my circumstance has changed, but my heart has! And the joy in me is just bubbling over. But God, who loves to give good gifts (Matt. 7:11) didn’t stop by just revealing his will to me. I was thrilled to know that the next leg of my journey was to uncover the difference between praise and thanksgiving. I wasn’t sure how I’d learn, but I was committed to do so. But, God had already provided the tool for my learning! Let me explain...I also have a daily devotional that I do in the afternoon. I didn’t do it that day, because I was full of God’s word and his love and was just praising him on what I was already given. But I read the devotional 2 days later. It is dated on the very day I had asked him to show me the difference between praise and thanksgiving. It is a full page devotional on the difference between praise and thanksgiving! It’s beautiful! It’s wonderful! It’s from the very heart of God, spoken through other Girlfriends who are walking with him. Here’s the link. www.girlfriendsingod.com Read it for yourself! Read to learn how to praise and offer thanks. (Under the devotions tab click on "blog". Then on the left click on Nov. 7 Weeds and Worry)

Now what about you? Are you thankful? Do you offer praise, even in the worst of times? Go to the Lord right now and ask him to nudge you in the areas where you need to mature. Be honest and open and God will be faithful and generous in his answer to you! And, knowing our God, he’ll give you a bonus too!