Job had just gotten word that he lost all ten of his children. He also lost all his possessions which included seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred donkeys. The Bible says that he was the greatest of all the men in the east. But in a matter of hours he lost everything. And what did he do? He worshipped the Lord. What an "odd" thing for Job to do!
Job wasn't worshipping God because of his tragedy, he was worshipping God in spite of it. When we worship/praise the Lord in spite of the bad that it happening in our lives it starts a "chain reaction". When you get a bad report, as did Job, you first have to make a choice-- are you going to grumble, complain, get angry, get fearful, etc.- or are you going to make a step of faith and worship/praise the Lord.
When things go wrong, praise isn't always automatic. Sometimes it is a "step of faith". We don't feel like praising God, but faith needs to override our feelings and praise Him anyway. When we make that first step of faith it starts the chain reaction. From there your step of faith becomes a "sacrifice of praise"-- something you are bringing to God. Then your praise ushers in the presence of God-- He inhabits the praises of His people. Once He comes in and inhabits, everything that He is and has comes too. When it comes, He then releases everything you need to make it through the difficulty that hit your life to begin with- whether it is strength, grace, help, wisdom, peace, etc. It comes into your heart, mind and situation.
So, to sum it up-- when something "bad" happens, take a step of faith. It will become a "sacrifice". When God sees the sacrifice, it will cause His presence to draw near. When He draws near, everything you need to make it through it will be available to you. On the flip side of that, there will be a "chain reaction" that takes place also if you don't praise the Lord in spite of what you are going through. You will start complaining, which will lead to fear, which will lead to unbelief, which will lead to confusion, which will lead to depression, which will lead to thoughts of giving up.... and etc. etc. etc.
Have a great day. Your praise will start a chain reaction.
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Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
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