To sing praise to God when we see His deliverance is easy. It’s a natural response to the exuberance and exhilaration we feel when we see His miraculous hand at work in our lives, as Moses and the Israelites demonstrated when they saw the Red Sea part before them and the Egyptians drowned as they pursued God’s people (Ex 15:1-18, 21).
God’s praise, however, can be sung even when it is not easy, ‘when the sky turns dark and heartache falls/ And a lonely painful season calls.’ (‘We Will Worship’, Kutless) We can choose to bless God’s name when we enter the desert of suffering and when confusion is our closest companion, not because we are happy in these circumstances, but because God’s character has not changed: ‘No matter what this life holds in store, the truth remains, You are Lord.’ (‘We Will Worship,’ Kutless)
Our tendency when heartache falls and life is difficult is to retreat into silence: bewildered silence, sullen taciturnity or even resentful grumbling (‘it’s not supposed to be like this, God!’) The Bible suggests an alternative path is more beneficial, however: the path of sacrificial praise. (Heb 13:15)
Instead of silence, praise God. Sing truth about Him instead of believing the lies the enemy whispers into our soul, lies about God’s goodness and love, lies about His purposes and kindness, lies about ourselves. This may feel artificial at first, even hypocritical, but faith is not simply about feelings. It is about obedience to God and about praising Him no matter what. (Hab 3:17-18) Give praise a go. This spiritual weapon can lead us out of darkness and despair into a place of confidence and victory, for our God is still the sovereign Lord.
