Praise God Through Every Season of Life

Once again, it is autumn here in Iowa. The leaves are turning, football is back, and pumpkin spice is everywhere. My dog, Louie, and I take longer walks in the fall. He becomes more agreeable about exercise when he can enjoy cooler temperatures and digging his nose under the leaves for new smells.

Lately, I’ve been noticing a lot of change around me, not only in the weather, but also in life. There have been new trials in my life, in the lives of people close to me, and in our world. In the midst of all of it, I found a Bible verse which has both challenged and encouraged me:

I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
Psalm 34:1

This is such a powerful verse and declaration of faith to think about. The words stuck with me, and helped me examine my own praise habits. I asked myself questions like: When do I celebrate who God is and what he does? Do I appreciate him the most when life is going smoothly? Or, in hard times too? Am I praising God through every season of life?

Praise is expressing adoration or approval for God’s good character and work, and for me, it occurs most often when my expectations are being met or my emotions are positive. If life is going well, then thanking God is more top of mind, so praise feels natural and easy to give. But, when times get tough and I enter a harsher season of life, gratitude becomes harder to find and express.

Obstacles to praising God through every season of life

I haven’t taken any polls on the subject, but I’m guessing the difficulty of praising God during tough times is common. In seasons of adversity, our hearts are breaking and our minds are preoccupied. We are overwhelmed with sorrows, pains, worries, fears, details, plans–all of which can lead to disconnected feelings in our relationship with God. If we feel he is distant, we may start doubting his love for us and our belief in his faithfulness can become shaken.

All the busyness, burdens, and doubts which come with life’s troubles are obstacles to praising God. They set up fences which try to separate us from the peace and hope we find in him. Even with the best intentions, our efforts to praise can get sidelined, forgotten, or dismissed. But, a verse from Psalms reminds us not to give up:

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!
Psalm 43:5

Why Praise Matters

In spite of the obstacles we face, it is important not to give up on praising God. Thinking about his blessings increases our awareness of how much he has given us and the ways in which he has been present in our lives. Praising him for these things matters because it nurtures our relationship with him–it helps us learn more about his character, grow in faith, be encouraged, and live with greater peace. And, praise also matters because it thanks God for creating and redeeming us; it declares that he is worthy of all our adoration and appreciation.

Offering God a sacrifice of praise

But, knowing why praise is important doesn’t make it any easier to give when we are hurting and confused. Continuing to give God thanks in all circumstances can feel gut-wrenching and costly, sacrificial on our part. A verse in Hebrews states it this way:

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.
Hebrews 13:15

When life goes well or a blessing is apparent, a spontaneous “Thank you, God!” might spring from our lips. But, when life turns difficult or even just proceeds normally, appreciating him becomes less of an impulse and more of a choice or willful decision. Continuing to praise, regardless of circumstances, requires conscious and deliberate effort–a personal sacrifice from us.

Thankfully, we have resources to help us formulate our praise. The Holy Spirit and the Bible remind us of God’s goodness, his promises, and his blessings. They help us consider different viewpoints as we wrestle with questions and doubts. Working within us, these holy resources develop our faith and help us shape our thanks into words and actions (e.g., singing, dancing, creating, serving, loving others). As our faith grows, so does the joy we find in giving God praise, not just occasionally, but through every season of life.

Inspiration for praise from people in the Bible

The Bible gives us examples of many people who, in spite of hardships, demonstrated praise as an ongoing part of developing a trusting relationship with God. Often, their praise even intensified during adversity! We can learn a lot from studying their difficulties and reactions of praise. Here are a just a few to look at:

• Job was a man who lost everything and couldn’t make sense of it, but ultimately he gained a deeper understanding of God’s sovereignty and praised him for it.
  
• David struggled with the weight of sin and was relentlessly hunted by his enemies, but he continually praised God for providing mercy and protection.
  
• Paul endured shipwrecks, imprisonment, beatings, and an ongoing affliction referred to as “a thorn in his side.” Still, through all of it, he demonstrated contentment and praised the Lord for all to see.
  

Expressing gratitude is something these faithful people did often. Job, David, and Paul sought the goodness of God’s character and blessings through all the circumstances of life–the wonderful, the difficult, and everything in between. As a result, they grew stronger in their faith and impacted the faith of others. Their lives and the lives of other faithful people set examples we can strive to follow.

Inspiration for praise from Bible verses

Recently, I used some of my favorite Bible verses as inspiration for words of praise. These five examples might be especially helpful if you are struggling to find words of praise during a hard time. After each example, there is a supporting Bible promise to pray.

(1) Praise for God’s help

Father, thank you for all the times you have helped me in the past. Even when I do not understand why something is happening, I know you see it all and have a plan for it. With love, you assure me I can trust your plan, timing, and ways. I praise you because you lead me along the right path and show me how to bring glory to your name.

Pray a Promise: He renews my strength. He guides me along the right paths bringing honor to his name. Psalm 23:3

(2) Praise for God’s welcoming embrace

Father, I am grateful you welcome me with open arms no matter how long it has been or what I have done. You forgive me and encourage me with a love like no other. With compassion, you help me overcome challenges and battle against sin. I praise you because you transform my heart to be right with you.

Pray a Promise: Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

(3) Praise for God’s peace

Father, thank you for the ways you ease my stress and burdens each day. You make your blessings apparent in nature, kind people, resources, perfect timing…and many other ways. With patience, you train me to keep my thoughts focused on you instead of my anxieties. I praise you because you care for me. You build up my trust, calm my fears, and plant your peace in my soul.

Pray a Promise: You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3

(4) Praise for God’s comfort and protection

Father, I appreciate your comfort and protection. So many of your promises let me know I am taken care of and never alone. You are my refuge for rest and my strength in trouble. I praise you because you are always with me and watch over my life.

Pray a Promise: In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe. Psalm 4:8

(5) Praise for God’s hope

Father, I praise you for the hope you keep alive in my heart. You catch every tear and hear all my prayers. You provide the patience I need to wait for answers and the courage to become everything you are shaping me to be. I praise you because you fulfill all your promises. You will complete your good plans for my life, and you will be with me every step along the way. Through my faith in Jesus, true and eternal joy is mine.

Pray a Promise: For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

What are your thoughts about praising God through every season of life?

Is there a Bible character that inspires you to keep praising in hard times?

What Bible verses do you meditate on to remind yourself of God’s goodness and faithfulness?

Beyond offering words of praise, what actions help you praise God?

Share a comment below if you’d like! I always appreciate hearing your thoughts about the blog.

Praise God!
Press on in faith my friends!
~Louie 🐾 and Jamie

Related Posts:

25 Verses from Psalms to Praise God and Encourage You
Praise God: never forget the good things he does
Even Now, God is Faithful–a poem
I Will Come Forth As Gold (Job 23:10)
25 Bible Verses about Giving God Glory
Blessings to Remember: 5 Gifts that Last
Giving Thanks in All Circumstances
10 Ways to Give God Glory in your Life
While We Wait on God…
Considering Joy in the Setbacks

Inspiring Resources:

What does it mean to give a sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15)–gotquestions.org
God Will Be Good Again Tomorrow–desiringgod.org
What does it mean to praise the Lord?–gotquestions.org

Photos:

The photos in this post are my own. They were taken in the beautiful state of Iowa.