The CD played my new favorite song as I drove to work that morning. It was the end of winter and the damp air outside kept the windshield misty with rain.
Tears fell down my face as I worshiped Him through song.
Just a couple of days before, I had been diagnosed with kidney cancer. Surgery had been scheduled for a few weeks away. Life as I knew it had changed with a doctor’s visit. Yet, as the song “Behold the Lamb” played on, my heart was filled with peace, gratitude and thanksgiving.
No, nothing had changed around me. We were still trying to figure out how we would manage without my income for over a month while recovering from surgery.
We were still trying to help our children understand and not be fearful because mommy had cancer.
And, yes, I had moments when I felt scared. But in the midst of it all, I found something new: A new song of praise. And I am not talking about the beautiful melody that was playing on the speakers that day. I am talking about a shift in the praise paradigm as I knew it.
For the first time in my life, I understood, deep down in my soul, what praise is really about. And I would never be the same.
It’s easy to praise God when life is beautiful.
When we have money, secure relationships and health, we usually find ourselves grinning from ear to ear and praising Him all day.
And then… there comes a valley; a deep, dark one. We instinctively find it hard to continue our songs of praise. That’s just, well, normal human nature. It is indeed hard to praise God in the face of our troubles. It takes work. It takes diligence. It takes faith to see past our predicaments and into the immutability of a loving God.
[bctt tweet=”It is indeed hard to praise God in the face of our troubles. It takes work. It takes diligence. It takes faith to see past our predicaments and into the immutability of a loving God. #trustGod #TuesdayMotivation #RechargeWednesday” username=”PatHolbrook”]
A New Paradigm
If we are able to move our eyes from our ever-changing circumstances and fix them on the unchanging nature of our God, we change our praise paradigm from focusing on what God does to who God is. We change it from focusing on that which continually changes to the One who never does.
Instead of dwelling on the hardship of unemployment, we fix our eyes on the promises of Jehovah Jireh, the Provider. Instead of focusing on the dread of cancer or any other physical illness, we worship Jehovah Rapha, the Healer. Instead of looking at our uncertainties, we fix our eyes on God’s attributes, which never change and never will.
[bctt tweet=”If we are able to move our eyes from our ever-changing circumstances and fix them on the unchanging nature of our God, we change our praise paradigm from focusing on what God does to who God is. #trustGod #TuesdayMotivation #RechargeWednesday” username=”PatHolbrook”]
We start worshiping…
Yahweh… the All-Knowing God – Who knows exactly what is happening to you. (Job 37:16)
Yahweh… the All-Loving God – Who loves you so much that He gave His only Son for you. As a loving Father, He will uphold you in the dark hour. (1 John 4:8)
Yahweh… the All-Powerful God – the One who spoke the stars into existence is more than able to mend your broken life. (Genesis 18:14)
Yahweh… the All-Present God – He is there for you when everyone else leaves. (Deuteronomy31:6)
Yahweh… the Sovereign God – who rules all creation and therefore knows what is best for us, even though we don’t always understand. (Isaiah 40:21-23)
Yahweh… The Holy God – who wishes to reveal to us flaws in our character that need to be changed… sins in our lives that need to go. It is through the fire that these impurities come to surface… that we may be molded, renewed, re-done. For His glory and our good. (Leviticus 20:26)
2012 was a year filled with long, dark valleys. So was 2020 to so many of us.
My husband and I often mentioned that we would happily bid 2012 goodbye when December 31 finally came. And so we did. Among other things, that was the year when we faced trials with cancer and the tragic death of my brother-in-law.
As I look back, however, as hard as that year was, the joy of finding stronger faith far surpassed the pain that these valleys brought along.
We witnessed God at work like never before. We sensed His presence and found the joy of worshiping Him “in spite of”. We learned to worship Him for who He is and therefore found an incredible peace in the midst of each storm. All because we have learned to shift the object of our praise from God’s gifts to God alone.
[bctt tweet=”Shifting the praise paradigm = learning to change the object of our praise from God’s gifts to God alone. #trustGod #TuesdayMotivation #RechargeWednesday” username=”PatHolbrook”]
Maybe 2020 was to you like 2012 was to me. And maybe the challenges have not changed at the dawn of this New Year. Maybe they have only intensified.
If that is the case for you today, it is only natural that f you find yourself having a hard time worshiping, weighed down by heavy burdens that threaten to steal your peace. If so, try praying for a shift in your praise paradigm: A re-focus on the object of your praise: from the gift… to the Giver.
Gifts, happiness and peace are so very fleeting. But the Giver, Sustainer, and Peace Maker is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebbrews 13:8)
May His Presence overwhelm you in the midst of the storm.
May you know the peace that surpasses all understanding as you lean on Jesus to be your all.
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This is beautiful. Thank you.
Thank you, dear Susan. So happy you enjoyed it!
So good and so much a word for this season.
Thank you, Sharon! So glad you participated!! Blessings,
Thank you for sharing this. My husband had kidney cancer 8 years ago. Thankfully, he’s had no more problems since surgery to remove the cancer.
I especially love the section where you went over the names of God and how those characteristics of His affect us. Truly, when we look up from our circumstances to Him, we have every reason to praise.
Thanks for sharing your husband’s story, Barbara. It’s a rare type of cancer, but very aggressive if not caught early. I am so grateful that God revealed it early and I am healed!
I do love praying the names of God. Such power! His names are filled with His character, and there is power in praying using His names.
Blessings, sister!
This is just beautiful, Patricia. You have given precious encouragement this morning:
“It takes faith to see past our predicaments and into the immutability of a loving God.”
“The joy of finding stronger faith far surpassed the pain that these valleys brought along.”
May faith arise in each one who reads your words today!
Thank you so much, Joanne! I echo your prayer!
Blessings to you!
Words spoken from the furnace!
So grateful for God’s healing and restoration in your life!
Thank you, Michele!
Yes, the surface that brings forth the impurities to make us more like Jesus. It’s a painful process but the product is beautiful – stronger, steadier faith.
Blessings to you!
Patricia, beautiful and powerful. I didn’t know this part of your story. But I relate to your paradigm shift in praise. My darkest valleys brought forth this kind of real praise from deep in my soul.
I know you know it, my friend.
Nothing is sweeter than the faith of one who has been tested and proved our God to be faithful. I know He smiles at us when we shift our praise from what He does to whom He is.
Love you, sweet girl!
Great reminder to rest in who He is. And sometimes that means making a conscious choice to turn to Him even when we think it doesn’t make sense.
I call it a deliberate pursue of God, even when we don’t “feel” like it… it’s kNOWING He is working for us, not against us, even when it doesn’t seem like it.
It’s called faith… and it has to be tested to be proven real.
Thanks for participating, Rebecca!
Patricia, I didn’t know you’d been through this, but I so identify. The worst years as measured by pain and loss were the best years measured by gains in my relationship with Christ. Thank you for this beautiful anthem of praise.
Amen, sister… I dare say there would be no ministry were it not for the valleys I have crossed holding the Savior’s hands. He indeed works all things for our good and His glory.
So grateful for you 🙂
Blessings,
Love this! We focus on who God is instead of the need. After all, He already knows the need, doesn’t He?
Yes, Jerralea, He does! And He knows when to provide too. That’s part of trusting Him – trusting His timing… and even when the answer does not come, keep trusting Him. Thanks for participating!
This is a beautiful and necessary paradigm shift if we don’t want to become angry, bitter people.
So true, Lauren. It’s actually, I believe, the only way we can remain joyful through the hard valleys! Start praise the Giver, Healer, Friend!
But the Giver, Sustainer, and Peace Maker is the same yesterday, today and forever. (Hebbrews 13:8) Amen! Thanks for sharing your story and your heart, Patricia
Thank you, Lynn! He is indeed constant and forever. What a blessing to know we are His!!