My husband gets joy out of doing yard work and is very meticulous about his grass.

Our grass is healthy, thick, and lush—leaving little room for weeds to grow.

When our hearts and lives are filled with praise, worry is a weed that will die from lack of attention. When we continually choose to give God thanks, there will be little room in our hearts for fear, anxiety, and irritation.

Why?

Because praise acknowledges the very character of God, while thanksgiving recognizes the work of God’s hand. Put together, praise and thanksgiving are powerful weapons against worry, fear, anxiety, irritations, and a formidable tool to strength our faith.

I know…sometimes life makes it difficult to praise God due to the grueling circumstances we face daily. But I want to remind you of the words of Paul:

“Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20)

To help transform our mind we must understand the true meaning of praise.

Praise comes from a Latin word that means “value” or “worth.” To praise God means to celebrate His worth, His value and His presence (Psalm 68:4; Psalm 16:11).

Praise and thanksgiving please God (Psalm 147:1).

Praise and thanksgiving encourage obedience 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Did you notice the truth that it is His will for us to praise Him? Obedience to God will always produce peace and eliminate worry.

Praise and thanksgiving will always enhance our awareness of His presence (Psalm 22:3).

When we praise God, we enthrone Him into our lives. Yes, we invite Jesus to join us in our messy lives. And the blessed part of that is He always accepts the invitation of praise.

Praise is trusting God for what He will do and then expecting Him to do it according to His will, understanding that today’s no and obstacles are tomorrows yes and steppingstones.

When we praise, we remove all hindrances for God to work, because we are trusting Him despite the circumstances.

Praise is a potent and restorative tool!

And when we choose to trust God, we will win over worry, fear, anxiety, and irritation.

Are you meticulous about your praise? What are you willing to do to ensure there will be little room in your heart for “weeds” to find a home?

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I am desperate for You. I want to have the faith to stand strong when circumstance of life overtakes me. But I know I cannot do it alone. In those moments when I cannot see clear, I pray the Holy Spirt will remind me to shift my focus from the problem to You. Father do not just shift my focus but shift my heart as well. Today, I surrender to You. I accept the truth that You will be my refuge in time of need, and I honor and celebrate you for who You are, in Jesus Name, Amen.

PEARLStoPONDER: Do not allow anyone or any circumstance keep you from praising God or deny you the joy of giving thanks

Nehemiah 9:6--“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.

Isaiah 45:5--I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me,

Psalm 100--Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!²     Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!³ Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!  Give thanks to him; bless his name!⁵ For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 103:1-5—Bless the Lord, O my soul,    and all that is within me,   bless his holy name!² Bless the Lord, O my soul,  and forget not all his benefits,    who heals all your diseases,⁴ who redeems your life from the pit,  who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵ who satisfies you with good   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

1 John 4:16--So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.