How can I praise God when the tough times come?

Job 1:21-22He [Job] said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.

Job 2:8-10Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.” But Job replied, “You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.

Ruth 4:13-16So Boaz took Ruth into his home, and she became his wife. When he slept with her, the Lord enabled her to become pregnant, and she gave birth to a son. Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the Lord, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel. May he restore your youth and care for you in your old age. For he is the son of your daughter-in-law who loves you and has been better to you than seven sons!” Naomi took the baby and cuddled him to her breast. And she cared for him as if he were her own.

Since praise is about God, not us, it may be expressed while in difficult and painful circumstances. Job in particular understood that easy praise flows during times of ease but the real test of praise comes when we still acknowledge God when our way is dark and sad.

Nehemiah 9:1-5On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads. . . . for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God. . . . Then the leaders of the Levites . . . called out to the people: “Stand up and praise the Lord your God, for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!” Then they prayed: “May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!

It is appropriate to end our confession and repentance with praise. As we confess our sins, we are recognizing that we are fallible, but God never fails. We acknowledge God’s forgiving character by praising him.

Psalm 28:6-7Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Psalm 71:14-16I will keep on hoping for your help; I will praise you more and more. I will tell everyone about your righteousness. All day long I will proclaim your saving power, though I am not skilled with words. I will praise your mighty deeds, O Sovereign Lord. I will tell everyone that you alone are just.

Jeremiah 20:13Sing to the Lord! Praise the Lord! For though I was poor and needy, he rescued me from my oppressors. Praising God offers a way of expressing our trust, even in the middle of difficulties.

Daniel 2:17-23Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened. He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon. That night the secret was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven. He said, “Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. He controls the course of world events; he removes kings and sets up other kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the scholars. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light. I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors, for you have given me wisdom and strength. You have told me what we asked of you and revealed to us what the king demanded.”

Philippians 4:6-8Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

When confronted with an impossible situation, take a moment to praise God. And continue to praise him as he leads you through the difficulties. Even when you are tempted to worry and struggling to pray, have a list in mind of things for which you know you can always praise God.