Praising God in the midst of a trial

[JReborn]

I'm gonig through a rough storm right now. People say to praise GOD and basically be happy. But I'm having a hard time praising when I'm in such a bad place my mind is a cluttered mess. How can you praise and find peace when in the midst of a storm?

Thank You

[Nyoka]

I had a hard time with this one until I realised that if I was focusing on my problems or trials then they seemed so huge and insurmountable but when I praised God in the midst of them I would focus on God instead and what He could do about the problems or trials. I also realised that by concentrating on how bad things were I was stopping God from stepping in to help me. I would be talking about my problems/trials all the time and how bad they were so things would stay the same, or get worse, because I wasn't speaking in line with God but I was speaking inline with the problem/trial and allowing it to continue.

I learnt that this sort of praising is sacrificial praising. I would go to God and tell Him honestly that I didn't want to praise Him and that all I wanted to do was go Him for not doing anything for me and then I would tell Him that no matter what I wanted I would choose to do what He said and praise Him. Praising God during this time meant I was putting God first and I was submitting to His will over my will. My problems didn't vanish overnight but slowly I started to have victory over them. At some point my praising during these times stopped being a thing done grudgingly and became a heartfelt praise to God for bringing me out of the problem/trial.

God wants us to praise Him during these times for several reasons. One is: it puts God first and the problem/trial second. Two is: it shows submission to His will and not our own will. Three is: it allows us to speak inline with God and His promises instead of the problem or trial. Four is: it gets us to focus on God and not the problem or trial.

I hope this helps
God bless

[BattleStance]

I'm gonig through a rough storm right now. People say to praise GOD and basically be happy. But I'm having a hard time praising when I'm in such a bad place my mind is a cluttered mess. How can you praise and find peace when in the midst of a storm?

Thank You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr7i5L6kFT0&feature=related

[Moxie]

I like what Nyoka had to say! I've never understood it when people say "Praise God [through your trials] and be happy" Sounds like pretty fake stuff to me...which is why I like Nyoka's explanation. I don't feel that God is expecting us to be happy, but rather we are to give Him glory for being who He is. God being God can do many things with our lives, in good and bad times if we allow Him to....a lesson I am learning right now. Hang in There!!:)

[Nyoka]

I like what Nyoka had to say! I've never understood it when people say "Praise God [through your trials] and be happy" Sounds like pretty fake stuff to me...which is why I like Nyoka's explanation. I don't feel that God is expecting us to be happy, but rather we are to give Him glory for being who He is. God being God can do many things with our lives, in good and bad times if we allow Him to....a lesson I am learning right now. Hang in There!!:)

That is the problem that I had Moxie. Everyone says to praise and be happy. I wasn't happy and didn't know how to be happy and no one could tell me how to be happy. I felt I was faking it when I tried to be happy during a trial.

That was when God opened my eyes that He wasn't asking me to be happy but just to submit to Him in praise and be honest with Him. He showed me where Jesus prayed in the garden and asked for the cup to be taken from Him: Mat 26:39 And He went a little further and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will. Jesus was looking forward to a very horrible death. He didn't want to go through the torture that was in front of Him anymore than any other person would but He submitted to the will of our Father on it and not His own will. He could praise God in that suffering and through that suffering because He kept His eyes firmly on God and God's will. You could NEVER say Jesus was happy while He suffered as He did but He Chose to praise God anyway and that is our example to follow.

[ChristsCourage]

What you need to do is just pray to God about this, and, ask Him to help you to be happy. I may not be happy all the time, but, I ask Him to guide me toward that goal. I will pray for you.

[steelerbabe]

Learning to praise God through tears is maturing in your walk. It is easy to praise God when everything is going good. I personally have been through many tradegies and have learned slowly to priase in the good and not so good times. Max Lucado, oneof my favorite writers wrote that his young daughter almost drowned. As she was recovering poolside, he praised God and thank him and in his heart God spoke yes, but would you praising me now if she had died? We all want to walk with the risen Lord, but no one wants to go through Good Friday to get there.

[JReborn]

Thank you all for your replies it has helped me alot:bounce:

[IPet2_9]

I'm gonig through a rough storm right now. People say to praise GOD and basically be happy. But I'm having a hard time praising when I'm in such a bad place my mind is a cluttered mess. How can you praise and find peace when in the midst of a storm?

I'm going through a storm myself, in more ways than one (one of them is named Ike :P ). Looking at James 5:13:

James 5:13 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=66&chapter=5&verse=13&version=31&context=verse) Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.

I don't think we are "commanded" to praise God during trouble, per se (someone once pointed out a Psalm once to the contrary, though...). It's better to be honest with God, and bring your feelings about Him, the whole situation, & everything. If you can reach a point where you genuinely praise God in the midst of a storm, that's great. But I don't think you're in "sin" if you can't. Just pray without ceasing--that's what we are commanded to do.