I Am Not Fine and Things Are Not Okay...

…but God is good and I will praise him anyway.  I am a Christian and I live in this sinful world right along with the rest of you.  I have good days and I have rotten “please don’t make me get out of bed” days.  Life can feel full of blessings one day and curses the next. 

Yet, once you are a heart-deep, follower of Christ these highs and lows do not determine or deter your purpose for breathing.  Every day and every night is meant for praise.  Praise for the gracious God who plans our steps and has written out our days – the easy breezy, the messy and the miserable (Ps. 139:16).

Things will not always go well for us, there is no such thing as karma and you don’t deserve easy living no matter how hard you work.  When in doubt, take some time to talk to my good friends Noah, Moses, Aaron, Abraham, Sarah, Leah, Job, Ruth, Naomi, Daniel, Rahab, Joseph, Joshua, Esther, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Jonah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Mary, Peter, Paul, John, and Stephen.  And then sit down and have a chat with my best friend, Jesus, and ask him all about his life on this planet. 
True Christians are not allowed to be fair-weather followers and neither are they to be storm-soaked beggars.  We praise, because that’s what were created to do.  “…all things were created by him and for him.” Col. 1:6.  We praise God day in, day out, in sunshine and hail, at the beach and knee deep in the swamp.   

Why?  I think the better question is why not?
 
Is God always good? Yes (Ps. 136:9).  Does he promise to have you, hold you and never let you go? Yes (Heb. 13:5).  Does he promise that everything he does is for your good and that you will receive a glorious eternity?  Yes and yes (Rom. 8:28, Jn. 3:16).  Umm…why are we complaining again?  Praise seems the only logical expression when you serve a God this wonderful.

Peter said it well, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9.  If you have been called out of darkness into his light, you are to declare his excellencies.  That is the purpose that he called you for.

So, ladies, while we are living in this world together, let’s praise God.  On the days of cute selfies, happy children, helpful husbands and clean houses.  AND on the days of ugly tears, unruly homes, rude spouses, and fat clothes.   Praise God.  Whether it is a victory shout or a whisper of hope in the darkness - praise God!
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“Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Hebrews 13:15