Praise

Praise

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

“WHAT ATMOSPHERE are you creating? Is it one of praise, in which people around you are pointed toward God, or is it something else?”

I winced, reaching for the church bulletin to take notes because I knew these questions were directed at me as much as anyone else that Sunday morning. My impatient and slightly snappish attitude with my kids before church and my recent general grouchiness toward a never-ending to-do list as mom, wife, volunteer, and small business owner filled my thoughts as I scribbled frantically.

We’ve been conditioned to think of praising God as one-dimensional, something we do in church. And while worshiping God in community with other believers is a form of praise, it is only one small part, not the fulfillment of it. We bless God when we adopt a lifestyle of praise, an atmosphere cultivated with our words, our attitudes, and our actions patterned after the words and teachings of Jesus.

And, truth be told, it’s easier for me to create an atmosphere of praise for coworkers and acquaintances than it is for my own family. I can exemplify the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—toward those I interact with for short periods of time, intentionally using my words and actions to point them toward our Savior while I push the ugly stuff down, leaving all the frustration, insecurity, anxiety, and anger to bubble over when I am with my family.

Praising God is a lifestyle, not a temporary mask we wear when we are in public or have invited others into our home. Living a life that continually blesses God requires intentionality, repentance, and trying again when we fall short. But, when we get it right, we create a space that others long to linger in, an atmosphere that invites the presence of God.

Lord, show us one way to bring praise into our everyday lives and into our homes. Amen.

-Julie

One Good Step: Pick one fruit of the Spirit to practice this week as you cultivate a lifestyle of praising God. Pick a new fruit each week for the next eight weeks, and then start over.