A Different Kind of Praise

The bible tells us that God is worthy to be praised, so however you choose to praise the Lord is a good thing. The bible also says that God inhabits the praises of His people. That means when you are praising God, He is there with you, receiving your praise.

The title of this message is “A different kind of praise,” so I am not looking to take a deep dive into the different kinds of praises I have seen, but I am instead going to focus on how and why my personal praise is different from the praise of other people. My praise is a different kind of praise.

I have been at church where people praise God with such a passion that it leaves them hollering at the top of their lungs and/or sprinting around the church like they are running a marathon. In my experience, those people have a freedom praise because God loosed them from being bound. Some were held captive by drug addiction, alcohol addiction, or nicotine addiction. Some were bound up in their mind with depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues. It makes sense to me why they would give God such a boisterous praise. If I had been released from captivity, I can imagine that I would have a similar reaction. However, that is not my story, so I have a different kind of praise.

Thankfully and gratefully, my kind of praise is based on the hedge of protection that kept me from bondage. My kind of praise is rooted in overcoming loss. I lost my only son to suicide. I lost my mother to complications from diabetes. I lost my favorite aunt, my second mom, to cancer. I lost a relationship that I thought would last forever. I lost my innocence when I was overpowered by a man twice my size and thrice my age. I lost a grandbaby at 3 days old. In some cases, such losses could result in bondage from depression. Oh, BUT GOD! If it had not been for the joy of the Lord that I always have down on the inside, I could have gone into that bondage. This is the joy that the Lord gave me, and the world cannot take it away. If it had not been for the peace that passes understanding, I could have become a captive to depression. This is the peace that comes from the Prince of Peace. I believe the most important thing that was not lost was my identity. I believe that because I never forgot who I was in the midst of turmoil, I did not fall victim to bondage. I remembered that I am a child of God. Yes, even as a child that was defiled, I knew I was a child of God and that He would make everything alright.

Because of my experience, I have a different kind of praise. My praise is centered on being an overcomer. My praise focuses on God as my provider, my healer, my way maker, my miracle worker, my hedge of protection, my Lord and Savior. My praise is filled with singing and shouts of hallelujah. Sometimes, when I praise, I speak in tongues as my spirit directly connects to the Spirit of God. When I praise, I offer a sacrifice to the Lord that is pleasing to Him. Even more than praise, I love to worship God for his sovereignty, for his holiness, for his majesty. God is like no other, and I honor that. I give Him all the glory, honor, and praise that is due to Him.

I have a different kind of praise. That does not mean my praise is better than anyone else’s. It means it is ok to have a different kind of praise. The goal is to honor God, be grateful to God, and show Him the respect that is due His name. God does not care HOW you do it. He only cares that you DO it.

I hope you were blessed by this message. Drop us a comment and let us know how we are doing. Do you have other topics you want us to discuss? Drop a comment and let us know! Take care! We will talk again soon.