a reason to praise

Ephesians 1v6 : “so we praise God for His glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His Son.”

i feel like i am learning more and more of who God is and i don’t just want religion, i want relationship. i don’t want to praise God just because that is what i am supposed to do as a Christian, i want a reason to praise. But, a reason to praise can seem like such an odd thing at such a low point in life, or it can seem like such an obvious response at such a high point in life.

I don’t want a relationship based on the circumstances of this broken world. Where it seems that i am closer to God than ever when things are going how i want them to, yet so far away from Him when life gets turned upside down and I don’t know what to do. I want a reason to praise, despite my circumstances, despite my feelings. A reason to praise in the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I want to be able to voice my frustrations and be real with God, but not let those feelings drive my posture towards God. I want to be able to praise my God no matter what life throws my way. No matter what happens on a field, in my life, in my health, in my family, in my career, i want a reason to praise.

does anyone else feel like they need a reason to praise? Does anyone feel their

circumstances don’t line up with what we believe our life should look like when we follow Jesus? Is there anyone suppressing their real feelings to seem like a Christian that has it all together? Or someone that can’t voice their frustrations and hurts because we know that God is good and who am I to be frustrated with the Almighty? Is there anyone else craving a relationship and not religion?

we see in the Psalms plenty of times from David and the other writers that they voice

their feelings to God, their real feelings. they are raw and open and honest about their anger, their grief and their doubts. If we want a relationship with our Creator then this is what our conversations will look like sometimes! God didn’t create us to be

robots, He gave us feelings for a reason and He wants us to share those with Him. This creates a relationship of intimacy and trust. When we voice these feelings we are allowing room for God to do what only He can do in those areas of our lives. it strengthens our faith and our relationship getting to see Him heal these parts of our lives and bring it all to His good. but, if you read these conversations from David and many others, their prayers dont just end with their frustrations. Many times they finish up praising God; praising Him for His

character, His goodness, His love, even His promises when they look so distant. They weren’t

letting their circumstances or feelings drive their heart’s posture. They had a reason to praise

just as we do!

Despite our circumstances, in the highest of highs or lowest of lows, we will always

have a reason to praise. Hallelujah! It says here in Ephesians 1 verse 6 : “so praise be to God for His glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His Son.” 

We praise God for His glorious grace!

Something that is not determined by circumstance, but something that is

constant forevermore. We get to praise God despite what the world tells us because we have received this glorious gift, this glorious blessing that we do not deserve. In verse 5 it says “God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do and it gave Him great pleasure.”

we have a reason to praise! That God has adopted us into His family through His Son

Jesus, who died on a cross to pay for the sins of the world. The craziest part of this story is that we are so loved by our Creator that this plan to sacrifice His Son for all of humanity gave Him great pleasure. Because He knew how beautiful a relationship with you would be.

Praise be to God that we have been made new, that we have been adopted as sons and daughters, that it is not by our doing but that God brought us to Himself, that we will always have a reason to praise.

i found my reason to praise.

have you?

-n0tbychance