Praising Him In the Midst of Our Trials

We're all called to praise God just like King David praised Him after crying and fasting for seven days. Our circumstances should not define how we worship and surrender to God.

This is a painting that I made at church a couple years ago and I remember letting the paintbrush just do its own thing. I didn't know exactly what I was drawing, but after awhile, this was the end result. It reminds me of all the kings of Israel and how more often than not, they did evil in the eyes of the Lord. If you go to 2 Kings, it seems to show one king after the other that did awful things during their reign. It almost seemed rare to find someone that served God like King David did.

I've been on a plan to read through the whole Bible in a year and recently I've been learning about the rulers of Israel. King David has become one of my role models because in each situation, he turned to God, praising him and thanking him. Despite one of his faults--potentially raping Bathsheba and killing her husband, Uriah--he accepted his punishment from God because he knew that he had sinned. He wept and fasted while his child became ill and after his son passed away, he got up, got dressed, and went to the Lord and worshipped. (2 Samuel 12:20). In his darkest moment, he pushed aside all grief and defeat and he cried out to God in praise.

This is just one example of many of David's strength. How many of us can say that in times of despair, all we want to do is worship God? Probably not many. It goes against our human nature to thank God for the hard things in life. Aren't we supposed to get angry and cry and harden our hearts for those that hurt us? No. God will not abandon us, no matter how far away he appears to be. "For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." -Isaiah 41:13

It is not our place to seek revenge over our enemies; that is up to God to handle (Romans 12:19-20). Stop trying to do the fighting and let God fight for you. It's time to allow Him to take care of your fears and anxieties so that you may be surrounded by His peace. When we continually surround ourselves with Him, every day seems easier than the last. We go through trials knowing that our God is bigger than the problems we face. We start to realize that we cannot do this on our own, and that's when Jesus becomes our superpower. So when it gets hard to praise God, do it anyway. David is a prime example of how it's possible for us to worship Him in the midst of our circumstances. God is always waiting with open arms when you need comfort.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)