I started to write something a couple of days ago and the title was lengthy but the blog began to develop as much more lengthy, so I decided to break it up into pieces, hence the title. I also decided not to let on to the content of this writing. Why? Well probably more for my own contentment then for drawing you in but I hope that the later works. So what is 'Part I'? It's something that has escaped me for a couple of years; something that I have ignored and avoided; something that I believe is easy for others that have not been through a fight or depression.... praise.
I can't honestly say that I have been praising outright or at least not how many would praise. I believe people think praise is the constant recognition of God in words of praise. An outright praising. A way of expressing praise of God in words. So was there 'praise'? Well maybe, but am I positive that it happened, no. I was in a way praising God's continual presence and pursuit of me through and over the past couple of years. When?? Two weeks ago standing in the worship center at church, I suggested something I would have never done...probably ever. I encouraged healing prayer over a young girl, a friend of my daughter's, and those around me agreed. Is that praise? Well probably not by many peoples standards. I feel that I just obeyed something that the Holy Spirit pressed against me, something that I have felt before but chose not to do. Did I outright say "Praise God!" (note that there's emphasis on this and a slight southern accent to boot!)? Well, no, I didn't. So 'praise' was not evident, it was not something that I purposefully expressed out of my mouth in a phrase and I didn't really let anyone know what I had suggested or led. (Minus those who were with me.) So was it praise? No. I don't believe it was, even if I posted it on Facebook-praise was not included.
Later that week I was riding with my friend and she asked about my post and I told her what had happened. Is that considered praise? I mean I didn't say "well praise God" or anything like that but I think the words that I was saying could be considered praise. This short question with a long answer began a conversation of healing that lasted well over an hour. Is that in anyway praise? I have no idea! Have I looked and searched for an answer...oh yes, I have! Heb 13:15-16 "Through Him the, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. and do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased'. Well that actually didn't help...not at first. I have been all morning trying to make these scriptures work for my definition of praise and do you know what stands out in this passage? "...the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name"... yay! Exactly what I wasn't looking for, a passage that outright tells me to give praise to Him by my lips. If that isn't an epic fail on my part ... I don't know if I can get much farther away. So I walked away from my computer, took my Bible - yest with this enlightened passage open- and went to my room. (In all honesty to find another passage of scripture that would read how I wanted it to read. Don't lie, you do it too.)
Have you ever no liked someone's answer to a problem? Ever try to make that answer fit into the answer that you want rather than conform and change to the answer that is given? Ok, quit denying this and just accept that fact that you do this along with me! I think its human nature, the overwhelming will in our individual mind and life to be ... well, RIGHT. So, I looked for the RIGHT answer to of which I decided was not Hebrews 13:15-16. And found.....nothing. I read further in Hebrews 13 and then re-read this simple, direct, and pointed passage again and again. And then, without knowledge or fight, I found what I was looking for.....praise. I know like me, you probably are now hooked on "the fruit of the lips that give thanks to His name" its evident and direct and right there in the middle of the passage and says exactly what everyone wants to hear. "Give Him praise in everything you say and anything that happens"..right? Essentially that's what it says. But there is more and there is an answer for my dilemma of finding what praise is...I just had to see it. "...let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise...." that is the beginning of praise, it's the sacrifice of myself to His will. It is without doubt the acknowledgement of healing, even alone and between two friends, that says thank you for pursuing and continuing the fight.
Do I use the phrase "praise God"? No, I don't know that I ever have at least not intentionally. But does the fruit of my lips give Him praise, do I continually offer up sacrifices of my lips, I believe I do. But does that constitute praise to those around me? Do they see it as 'note worthy praise'? Probably not, but I am not out to impress those of this world. I am not set to make those around me happy with my words or make myself out to be something that I am not. I am, however, attempting at all failures to be pleasing in some way to Him; to give up when He tells me to; to recognize something that I didn't see happening; to begin praising Him for Him in my actions of obedience and acknowledgement of Him in my words that don't necessarily say 'praise God'. I hope to continue this journey. I hope that all my body continues to agree with His plan, even when I don't want to. And I hope in Him that I will find the right words of praise.
Later that week I was riding with my friend and she asked about my post and I told her what had happened. Is that considered praise? I mean I didn't say "well praise God" or anything like that but I think the words that I was saying could be considered praise. This short question with a long answer began a conversation of healing that lasted well over an hour. Is that in anyway praise? I have no idea! Have I looked and searched for an answer...oh yes, I have! Heb 13:15-16 "Through Him the, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. and do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased'. Well that actually didn't help...not at first. I have been all morning trying to make these scriptures work for my definition of praise and do you know what stands out in this passage? "...the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name"... yay! Exactly what I wasn't looking for, a passage that outright tells me to give praise to Him by my lips. If that isn't an epic fail on my part ... I don't know if I can get much farther away. So I walked away from my computer, took my Bible - yest with this enlightened passage open- and went to my room. (In all honesty to find another passage of scripture that would read how I wanted it to read. Don't lie, you do it too.)
Have you ever no liked someone's answer to a problem? Ever try to make that answer fit into the answer that you want rather than conform and change to the answer that is given? Ok, quit denying this and just accept that fact that you do this along with me! I think its human nature, the overwhelming will in our individual mind and life to be ... well, RIGHT. So, I looked for the RIGHT answer to of which I decided was not Hebrews 13:15-16. And found.....nothing. I read further in Hebrews 13 and then re-read this simple, direct, and pointed passage again and again. And then, without knowledge or fight, I found what I was looking for.....praise. I know like me, you probably are now hooked on "the fruit of the lips that give thanks to His name" its evident and direct and right there in the middle of the passage and says exactly what everyone wants to hear. "Give Him praise in everything you say and anything that happens"..right? Essentially that's what it says. But there is more and there is an answer for my dilemma of finding what praise is...I just had to see it. "...let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise...." that is the beginning of praise, it's the sacrifice of myself to His will. It is without doubt the acknowledgement of healing, even alone and between two friends, that says thank you for pursuing and continuing the fight.
Do I use the phrase "praise God"? No, I don't know that I ever have at least not intentionally. But does the fruit of my lips give Him praise, do I continually offer up sacrifices of my lips, I believe I do. But does that constitute praise to those around me? Do they see it as 'note worthy praise'? Probably not, but I am not out to impress those of this world. I am not set to make those around me happy with my words or make myself out to be something that I am not. I am, however, attempting at all failures to be pleasing in some way to Him; to give up when He tells me to; to recognize something that I didn't see happening; to begin praising Him for Him in my actions of obedience and acknowledgement of Him in my words that don't necessarily say 'praise God'. I hope to continue this journey. I hope that all my body continues to agree with His plan, even when I don't want to. And I hope in Him that I will find the right words of praise.
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