Thanking and praising God in all things stops/silences the potential impact of sudden fear, runaway worry, frantic feelings, and reaffirms (helps me acknowledge, again) His lordship over my life. It reestablishing “believing.”
Mary Carothers (Merlin Carothers’ wife): God will allow us to come to Him the hard way or the easy way. We choose the long road or the short road. It’s up to us. (My paraphrase) *
In my life, I’ve seen so many people quote Ephesians 5:20, Romans 8:28, and other Bible passages as if they believed them. The problem was that they didn’t live those verses out in life. In Jesus, we have the right, the liberty and privilege of practicing what we’re preaching, the ability to walk what we talk. We do not become free in Him any other way.
I didn’t use to thank and praise God in all things. Most of the time, I was upset, complaining and talking so much “doubt, fear and unbelief” because so much of life appeared to be going against me and my plans. The victory does not come by me getting my way. The victory comes when I learn to thank and praise God regardless of my circumstances – whether I get “my way” or not. I wish I had taught Ann and my daughters to thank and praise God much earlier. I’m grateful He’s teaching me He works all things together for our good.
I had to fight my religious pride and the fear of man in order to thank and praise God in all things. I even thought that if I actually thanked and praised God in all things that the devil would see to that worse calamities would come my way and, as a result, I would take on more panic, and fear. Thanking and praising God in all things can be a real battle (if we let it) because Satan knows the victory we can truly live in if we obey Ephesians 5:20. I’m so thankful God kept prodding me to persevere to believe Ephesians 5:20 – in this important, life-changing area He knew I needed to breakthrough in.
Why do I thank and praise God in all things? It’s teaching me one of the biggest lessons in my life – to fear not! Thanking and praising Him in all things brings His peace that passes understanding into my spirit. Because I can actually feel His Presence come on me and His precious Presence keeps me. His Presence consoles and fortifies me like nothing I’ve ever experienced. His Presence has no match. His Presence builds supernatural strength, peace and rest in me that I would not trade for anything.
If you’re not thanking and praising Him in all things, why aren’t you? Stop listening to the devil’s lies that keep you from doing it. If it’s plain fear, religious pride or the fear of man that keeps you from walking in this new power, then you need to step out of those bondages and into the glorious Light and freedom your loving Heavenly Father has for you.
*Merlin Carothers is the author of so many of the praise series books like Prison to Praise, and Power in Praise.
Thanking and praising God in all things (Ephesians 5:20),
Mark
Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.