Faith FoundationsSample

WEEK 3, DAY 3—WHY WE PRAISE

Yesterday we learned about worship, and today we are learning about praise! They’re very similar and go hand-in-hand. Praise is defined as “expressing gratitude towards something or someone,” so praise to God is when we express gratitude towards God for who he is and what he’s done.

When you think of praise, maybe you think of the times at youth/church when we sing a fun song, dance, and jump around. We don’t just do that because it’s fun, but because it’s a way of celebrating who God is and thanking him for what he’s done in our lives. We shouldn’t just reserve our times of praise to be on Fridays at youth or Sundays at church. We should be praising God in our day-to-day lives, even when we don’t feel like it.

One of the best examples of a man who loved to praise God in the Bible is David. He even wrote an entire book of the Bible—Psalms—filled with praise to God. David shows us that praising God is not something we do out of emotions, or just when we feel like it. In Psalm 34:1, David wrote “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak His praises.” It is a choice to praise him at ALL times—not just when you’ve had a good week and after God answers your prayers—but even in the times when you’re struggling and don’t feel like it. Why? Because we should ultimately praise God for who he is, not just for what he does. We may have good days and bad days, and our situations may change, but God does not change, and he will always be deserving of our praise.

Maybe you find it hard to praise God because you haven’t experienced him in your life yet, and you don’t want to jump around or thank him because you feel like there isn’t much to thank him for. Praise isn’t just something we should do after experiencing freedom. It can also be the very thing that leads you to freedom. If you’re feeling disappointed, stressed, or frustrated, and you want freedom from those things, try praising God rather than complaining! Thank him and praise him for what you have, rather than complaining about what you don’t have. The habit of praise just might be the thing that leads you to freedom!