This morning I have two cars being towed to two different garages.  Our family went from two vehicles to zero in a matter of seconds.

That is life…it changes in a second.

Everything good comes from God and we absolutely should praise Him and thank Him during those times of blessing and abundance.  But, what about the other times?

What about when praise is painful?

If you had talked to me five years ago there are some things that I would have promised you God was going to make happen.  There were some things I just knew He was going to take care of for me.  I believed with all my heart.  But, there are things that God just hasn’t made happen.  And it hurts my feelings.  Am I allowed to say that God hurt my feelings? I think it’s okay to admit that.  But, you know what, I still love Him.  I still praise Him for who He is.  But, I’m also still hurting.  It’s a pain-filled praise at times.

I am teaching a dozen 6 year old girls tomorrow night about being strong in the Lord.  Paul tells us in Ephesians that we should be strong in the Lord and in His mighty strength.  What does that mean?  Be strong in the Lord…what does that look like?

Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. – Romans 4:19-21

Abraham had been given a promise by God…that he would have offspring more numerous than the stars in the sky.

Abraham was a hundred years old and his wife was barren!

But we are told that Abraham faced the facts and his faith was not weakened at all.  He did not waver in his belief regarding the promise of God.  That is being strong in the Lord.  It’s looking at our circumstances, acknowledging all of the reasons that could cause us to doubt…and then believing Him anyway.

It’s praising Him even when it hurts.