Put A Praise On It!

So............ this weekend was awesome! My sister and her two girls came to visit me and we had the best time! I got to do some tourist-y stuff that I would have never done had they not been here!

Beyond the silliness of the weekend, the trip was capped with an powerful trip to church. My sister and I both got a word that was on time and motivating. We took different things from the message.

The word I received is that Praise Provides Provision. It's easy to be envious in life... Green is a color many of us wear well. However, you can't be envious of people because you don't know what God took them through to get to the position that they are in. Not many of us would want to encounter the "battle" some people face when God is moving them along in their journey.

For many of us, we see the fruit of what God is doing. God's great at that... showing others the reward of the season that we've been in. However, he doesn't always allow others to see the trials, tribulations, and tests that we endured to get the the end result - the tangible reward others covet.

Today's message was so profound because I recently saw a picture of one of my ex's and his new chick (or so I think... I don't talk to him... so I'm not sure). But, although I'm over that... it stung to see the picture. It's so easy to get green with envy when you see these things... or even to watch a friend get married who at this same time last year had no desire to marry... Enviable opportunities avail themselves to us. But it's up to us to take an attitude of gratitude in the season where God has us and not get swayed by what we see. That being said... Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things NOT seen (Heb 11:1)!

You never know what God has in store for other people and you never know what he's doing in their lives that you can't see. Yet... you have to keep an attitude of gratitude for where you are at this very minute. That's why the bible instructs us to give thanks is all things!(1 Thes 5:16-18)

So... when you're feeling green with envy... Praise God. Bless and extol His name no matter what the situation looks like! In fact, when things get tough... PUT A PRAISE ON IT! Praise is the buffer between you and your situation that God responds to!

Use your praise... and use it often! I will bless the Lord at all times... and his praise with continuously be in my mouth (Ps. 34)!