Hebrews 13:15, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”
God’s Word instructs us to praise God continually, not occasionally. This means we should cultivate an attitude of gratitude in all circumstances because the basis of appreciation is not our current condition. Furthermore, appreciation does not necessarily bring an immediate change to a situation; it redirects your focus to the One who holds all the answers. Focusing on Him strengthens you to face that situation in faith rather than in fear, worry, doubt or discouragement.
If care is not taken, we primarily give our attention to our current situation and how we are doing at that particular moment in time. In this state, it is very easy for one’s judgment to become clouded and focus diverted. Appreciation helps you to see life clearly, to see the bigger picture, to see beyond your present situation to the never-failing promise of God.
The devil hates testimony or any form of appreciation to God because it is an effective weapon to disarm his deception. That is why the Bible says, in Revelation 12:11, “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”
So, irrespective of what your situation says to you right now, take time to reflect on the evidence of God in your life, the goodness of God in your life and how God helped you overcome in the past.
Finally, don’t forget, by faith, to thank Him for those many unseen testimonies that you may not even know of. They are even more powerful than the ones we see – those invisible testimonies of God working for us in the Spirit.
Prayer: In the name of Jesus Christ, take time to reflect on God’s goodness in your life. Give thanks to God for the way He helped you to overcome those more difficult and dire obstacles in the past. Thank Him for those times He protected you, He supernaturally provided for you and preserved you.