Whenever my young daughter is happy about something, she cannot wait to tell us all about it…she radiates with excitement as she gleefully expresses her joy regarding the subject of her attention. This is normally followed by her persistent demand that we immediately view the object of her excitement. She is usually not satisfied until we too have expressed our own joy or amazement. Most of us love to tell those around us about the things that bring us joy, as we do so, we often express our praise regarding the object of our happiness. Whether it’s beautiful scenery, a funny meme or a person bringing us joy. As C.S. Lewis states “all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise“. (1)
As people naturally desire to share their happiness, once again C.S. Lewis expresses it eloquently, “I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation.” (2)
In the same way that we continuously compliment those we love, the Bible expresses the praises of those who love God and walk-in close unity and friendship with Him. We can see this expressed throughout Psalms and many other books of the Bible. As the psalmists praise God through their life’s circumstances, they also encourage others to praise Him. Their joy in Him is not complete until it is expressed through their act of praising Him. The need to share our joy is a desire that I believe God intrinsically placed in all of us.
But why?
I believe that through Jesus, we are able to have communion with God and as we draw near to God and praise Him, He is able to fully complete our deep desire for joy and fulfillment in life. As we acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour and praise Him, we receive true joy, peace, and fulfillment that He alone can provide. As He is a loving and good God, He knows that through our acceptance of Him and praises to Him our need for peace and joy is fulfilled.
As He receives joy from our praises, His loving nature bestows us with joy too. The more we praise Him, the more He reveals His to presence to us, the more we are in His presence, the more we grow in relationship with Him and closeness to Him, and the closer we grow in Him, the more we grow in love for Him and our desire to praise Him increases…what an amazing
cycle of love that God has designed for us through our praises to Him!
The amazing blessings that come from walking in continuous praise of God:
- God’s presence is made known in the atmosphere of praise (Psalm 22:3); as we dwell in His presence our spirit is strengthened.
- It is a reminder to us of God’s power and glory overall and within our own lives; we do not have to be in control…He is! (Deut.10:21; 1 Chronicles 16:25 and many more)
- Increases our faith in God, which in turn enables Him to work in our lives. (1 Peter 1: 3-6; Psalm 28:7)
- Praise promotes growth and spiritual blessings in our lives. (Ephs. 1:3)
- Praise overcomes sadness; it is hard to walk in despair when we are praising God; by praising God we remove the focus off ourselves and onto God, who supplies the strength we need. (Psalm 16:11)
- Praise defeats the enemy and smoothes out the way for miracles to occur in our lives (I.e. Acts 16:25; Exodus 18:10; Psalm 18:46-48; Psalm 124:1-7).
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:1-3
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