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Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God
a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
(Hebrews 13:15)
Here’s a true confession. When life is good, praise and thanksgiving flow automatically from my heart and lips. But when life turns black, praise and thanksgiving don’t flow quite so easily! Instead, I have to deliberately choose to follow God’s advice and “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
When I’d rather bask in self-pity or stay stuck in my depression, I do what God says: I give thanks and praise Him regardless of my suffering. That effort makes my praise a sacrifice. And when I lift such a sacrifice of praise to God, I find the Spirit’s joy magnified in my life—just as lifting a diamond to the light against a black background enhances its brilliance!
I’m learning to offer this sacrifice of praise when I’m in pain because God calls us to be joyful… at all times (Philippians 4:4)! I need God’s joy (and you probably do as well). We need joy when we’re suffering and misunderstood, when we’re rejected and hated, and when we’re in emotional or physical pain. Our praise to God gives the Spirit room to touch us with His joy that overshadows these circumstances. It’s amazing to realize that, with the sacrifice of praise, the very hindrances to our joy become the soil out of which joy blossoms.
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Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
How did men and women in the Bible accomplish great things for God? There wasn’t any secret formula or bestselling book on success for them. In fact, they were ordinary people like you and me. What made them effective was their willingness to obey God—one decision at a time.
