A.W Tozer once said, “If God takes away everything I have, I will love Him anyway. I will praise Him even if He slays me. We have to overcome, because the overcomer will be able to stand on that terrible day.” Our posture toward God should be one of continual praise regardless of our circumstances or disappointments. Whether or not our prayers are answered as we prefer, our praise should never cease and our confidence should never waver because God is good. And that will never change.
There is always reason enough to praise God, and when you ask Him for the desires of your heart, praise should begin long before an answer is ever received. Express gratitude for all He’s done and for all He will do even though you have yet to see it. And if it doesn’t happen as you hoped, praise Him for knowing better than you what is best for your life. Gratitude produces blessing, and God will reward your attitude of praise even when circumstances don’t turn out as planned or when desires of your heart have not been granted as you thought they would.
The author of Psalm 77:3 says, “I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed” (NKJV). When we groan and grumble, we become overwhelmed by all going on around us. I’m convinced that the more we complain, the less we obtain. You see, there’s a difference between thanksgiving and praise. Thanksgiving is expressing gratitude for what God has done in your life, but praise is expressing esteem simply for who He is. We will experience a greater peace and a deeper confidence in God when we choose to praise Him ahead of our requests.
I’m reminded of how Jesus healed the ten lepers in Luke 17. Although all ten of the men received healing, only one returned to Jesus, who said in verse 18, “Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Verse 19 explains what praise does for us: “[Jesus] said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.’” This second verse suggests there’s a difference in being healed and being made well. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to settle for healing when I can experience complete wellness. I want to be made whole!
God wants to grant the desires of your heart, but more than that He wants closeness with you. His number one concern for your life will always be holiness over happiness. Yes, you can have both, but holiness will always take priority. Praise positions our hearts to seek God’s will above our own, and only then will we be able to develop a relationship with Him that transcends circumstantial faith. As your heart aligns with His, your greatest desires will mirror His plans for your life.
The Enemy wants you to believe you are unworthy of your greatest desires, so he wants you to focus on all of the reasons you don’t deserve God’s blessings. But we already know he’s a liar. Thoughts of that kind are not from God; that’s not His voice you’re hearing. You are God’s precious child, and He wants to give good gifts to His children. Don’t disqualify yourself because of the lies you’ve been led to believe about yourself. Dig into the truth of God’s Word and take hold of the promises He’s made for His children.
You will see God defy the odds in your life when you commit to pushing past any doubt or discomfort and begin asking abundantly for the desires of your heart. Believe with confidence that He has more than enough in store for you and that there is no limit to what He can and will do if you will let Him move and work. Maintain an attitude of gratitude simply because of who He is and what He has already done for you. So much greatness is ahead for you—ask, believe, and praise Him for it all.
Benny Tate tells his amazing story this Tuesday on LIFE TODAY. This is an excerpt from Defy The Odds by Benny Tate. Copyright ©2022 by Benny Tate. Published by Harvest House Publishers. Used by permission.
