We are created to praise God together and often.
Many of us would love to gather with fellow believers to praise God more than just once a week on Sunday. But it can feel challenging to incorporate praise with others into our regular schedules.
There are many reasons for this. Our days are already full, we don’t have time to add a praise and worship night onto the calendar. We aren’t musical, we don’t own a guitar, we can’t sing. Or maybe we just have no idea how to start.
As I thought about these challenges, I began to wonder, what does it actually look like to praise God in my daily life with other believers?
Removing the Barriers
First, many of the reasons we don’t praise God together more often are eliminated when we understand what it actually means to praise Him.
For many years, I thought praise was just singing. But it’s so much more! Praise is using our voices to talk about the greatness of God’s character and actions. You don’t need a guitar and lyric sheets to praise God with other people on a Tuesday. You just need to have a heart in love with Jesus and a voice willing to talk about Him.
Praising God with others goes beyond singing. It can look like being intentional to talk about God in your home, at coffee with friends, and in the mundane moments in between.
At Home
Our homes are the easiest and most important places we can praise Jesus.
When we praise God at home among our family, it is a testimony that God isn’t only worshipped in church on Sunday. He is a personal God and we have a personal, daily relationship with Him. It declares that He is worthy of worship always, in all circumstances.
Growing up, my parents praised Jesus every day. When they faced sickness, loss, and hurt, they praised the Lord just as they did in times of blessing and abundance. This taught me that Jesus is worthy of my praise equally in the good times and in the bad.
Praising God at home among your family will look different depending on if you have a Christian family or an unbelieving one, and if you are a parent or child. But here are some practical ideas to inspire you.
Build opportunities to praise God together into your family’s routine. For example, my family used to take turns sharing something God had taught us in His Word while we ate breakfast each morning.
You can also do simple things like point out the beauty of God’s creation as you garden with your mom, or go for hikes with your siblings, or watch the sunset with your child. You can express your thankfulness for God’s daily provision of food as you cook a meal and work when you arrive home at the end of the day.
With Friends
I know God has always been good and faithful in my own life. And I believe from scripture that He has promised to be good and faithful no matter what I walk through. However, it’s because my friends and church family have shared their testimonies with me and allowed me to walk alongside them through suffering, that I know God is good and faithful in circumstances I haven’t experienced. I know He can be trusted when we get a cancer diagnosis and when the cancer comes back after multiple rounds of chemo; when we experience the pain of broken relationships; when a child unexpectedly goes to be with Jesus. I know this because my friends and church family have shared these experiences with me.
It’s common to talk with our friends about the activities or problems of the past week and our opinion on cultural events. But when we go beyond our daily activities and personal opinions, to also talk about what God is teaching us, how He is blessing, sustaining, comforting, and convicting us, we bring praise to Him and also encourage our friends.
If we’re not used to doing this, it will take intentionality to start praising God during conversations with our friends. I’ve found it helpful to think ahead of time about one thing God is teaching me or doing in my life, while I drive to the coffee shop or my friend’s house. This way it’s ready in my mind to share when we’re talking later.
During Your Daily Life
When I was at Bible school, I remember walking past the kitchen between classes and listening to the school cook sing about the goodness of Jesus while preparing her famous grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.
I have friends who, instead of replying with the typical, “that’s amazing!” or “no way!” reply with “praise the Lord!” or “isn’t God good?”
These are simple ways we can praise God in the rhythms and routines of our day. And yet, they are powerful ways to direct our focus–and the focus of the people around us–back to Jesus. These simple actions of praise remind us that all good and perfect gifts come from God and set our minds on things above rather than things of this earth.
Also, they are contagious. Often, more than one student would begin singing with the cook as they walked past the kitchen. And many times, when my friend replies “isn’t God good,” it sparks a conversation about other ways God is taking care of us.
The Moments between Sundays
The daily moments between Sundays are full of simple opportunities to praise the Lord for His goodness and grace. I challenge you to pick one of these ideas and begin intentionally implementing it into your life. You will be amazed at how praise encourages you and the people around you to look up and wonder at Jesus Christ and the gospel.