Today's Devotional Thought
March 26, 2010 by Wendy Foreman
Worship as a Lifestyle
I read something recently that mentioned thanksgiving and praise are stepping stones to worship. Living in a state of thanksgiving means that we are looking everyday for things in our life that we are thankful for and then giving God the praise for them.
When I think about thankfulness and praise, I immediately think of God the Father, and all the blessings He gives us in this life. I, like many of you, have had negative things happen in my life. I’ve had moments of doubt and fear and wondering if God really knew what He was doing at times. What I have tried to do and would encourage all of you to do too, is to make a conscious effort in those moments to find something to be thankful for and to then praise and worship the Lord for that.
Thankfulness really is a state of mind. We have to make a choice to be thankful in any and every situation. When we face something trying, we must choose to find something to be thankful for. Recently, a very dear friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer for the 3rd time. When I was thinking about this devotional, she came to mind. I love her very much and I know that this diagnosis has devastated her. But, I also know that she is still praising God because of who He is. I also know that she is thankful for her children and her friends. I see her being the perfect example of focusing on things that we can be thankful for even in the midst of hardship.
When we recognize the good in our lives, in spite of the bad, and choose to praise Him and be thankful, then we are living a life of worship. Let me add, though, that that isn’t all we need to do in order to live a life of worship. We need to continue to be in the Word learning about our Lord and striving to please Him in our prayer time, in our relationships with others, and simply in the way we live our lives. Music is also a great way to worship and can play a part in your quiet time. I love to lift my voice and sing and get lost in His presence.
Living a life of worship is so easy when we immerse ourselves in His word and get to know Him intimately. We begin to recognize who He is and what He has done for us. That understanding changes your life and you can’t help but be thankful and worship our God and creator.
December