One Sunday morning a few years ago, the whole church service was dedicated to praises alone. No message, No Prayer, No extra activity etc.
It was at a time when I had so much worry in my heart. I was losing my trust in everything and everyone. I was already feeling left behind in so many ways.
When it was announced that the following Sunday was going to be a day of praise, it was difficult to digest. I was not in the mood for any kind of happiness or gyration. I just wanted to curl up somewhere and cry myself to whatever.
On the day of praise, I found myself in another realm. All of a sudden, nothing mattered again, the more I praised, the more I found God deserving of praise, the more I felt sorry for the times I hadn’t praised, the more I resolved to be thankful.
When I got home I felt refreshed, so refreshed that I couldn’t imagine going back to gloominess. It was as though a channel opened in my mind and I felt like I have things that I haven’t even seen.
I learnt a lesson, not about praise, but about worry:
Worry makes you think that things should work according to your efforts.
Worrying makes you place a premium on lesser things.
Worry makes you vulnerable to even the tiniest fears, and you find yourself more worried about things that wouldn’t trouble you previously.
It makes you disregard God, forgetting the involvement of God in your life and then you try to take matters into your hands. That is a sure disconnection from God.
It takes away your ability to appreciate what you have so far.
It makes you boss God around.
It took that day of praise to make me realize that most times, we simply boss God around in the name of prayers.
For example, think about Martha, she hosted God in her own house but she was so worried trying to get things done that it didn’t even occur to her to appreciate and revere the Presence of the Almighty in her house. She ended up trying to tell Jesus what to do.
Her case might be different but believe me, worry will make you do that. It will make you forget who is in charge, and wherever you place God in your life, there He will remain. either to your own blessing or detriment.
God already knows what you need before you ask. It would be more beneficial being in His good side and nothing gets to the good side of God better than praises.
Remember this; When you choose to worry, you will meet more reasons for worry, but when you choose to be grateful, you will meet more reasons to be grateful.
