I Must Recite Thanks & Praises to God

Today's Unglued Blog Update

Another one of mostly my rewording & adding some of my own to what Lysa said. I just think she hits the nail right on the head!

This is what the Lord says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. ~2 Chronicles 20:15b

Outline of the predetermined biblical procedure manual to bring godly calm to my own unglued situations:

Step 1: Remember who I am (click HERE for details)

Step 2: Redirect my focus on Jesus (click HERE  for details)

Step 3: Recognize God's job isn't my job (click HERE  for details)

Step 4: Recite thanks & praises to God

Step 5: Realize Reactions determine reach

Today, I'm going into more detail on Step 4: Recite thanks & praises to God:

 

After counseling the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." (2 Chronicles 20:21)

 

In the midst of an unglued moment, how do I shift from having an attitude to walking with gratitude? I need a go-to script that will redirect my perspective to a better place. I should say this (or something similar) out loud to myself, "If this is the worst thing that happens to me today, it's still a pretty good day. Praise You, God." I can't authentically praise God for anything that is wrong or evil, but I sure can shift my focus to all that is right & praise Him for that.

 

In the story of King Jehoshaphat, making his shift -- from looking at what was wrong to praising God for what was right -- worked a miracle. When the praise chorus from Judah's front line of defense reached the ears of the opposing armies, these enemies were so confused that rather than fight against Judah they started fighting among themselves instead. And "when the mend of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped" (2 Chronicles 20:24). That is absolutely amazing to me!

 

Man, how powerful it is to shift from an attitude to gratitude & to praise God in the midst of it all. When I do this, my circumstances may not instantly change, but the way I look at those circumstances certainly does. I stop being blind to all that's right & see so many more reasons to praise God. And when my heart is full of praise, my emotions aren't nearly as prone to coming unglued.

 

Next Unglued Blog Update, I'll discuss how I must realize reactions determine reach.