I begged.
I pleaded.
I begged some more . . .
And yet, every time I cried out to God about this situation that I desperately wanted Him to change, He seemed to say again, “No. Not yet.”
Disappointed, I prayed, “Okay, but what am I supposed to do now?”
In my heart, I knew God’s answer, “Praise Me.” But it felt impossible to praise Him.
What are we supposed to do when praise feels impossible?
Despite my desperation, God didn’t answer my prayers the way I hoped He would. His “no” forced me to ask hard questions like:
- What does it look like to praise the Lord when my heart is heavy?
- How do I rejoice when heartfelt praise seems out of reach?
- Can I rejoice when I don’t feel thankful for my circumstances?
My mind went to stories like Paul and Silas in prison. These men somehow sang hymns to God after being beaten and thrown in jail! I wanted to praise God like Paul and Silas, but in the face of disappointment, I did not feel like responding with joy and thanksgiving.
How did they do it?
A Better Definition of Praise: More than Emotions
While praise certainly can express emotions of joy, hope, thanksgiving, and rejoicing, Biblical praise goes much deeper.
There is another form of praise which might be even more powerful, important, and precious to God; that is, a decision of faith, to put our full trust in Him no matter how much our emotions want to resist. The Bible calls this type of praise a sacrifice because it is not easy. It requires us to lay down our own desires, emotions, and rights and submit to the will of God.
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. (Hebrews 13:15, NKJV)
When it’s hard to praise the Lord, that doesn’t make our praise insincere, it makes it a sacrifice.
Sometimes the sacrifice of praise is just a desperate cry from our heart that speaks the truth about God in the midst of our pain. It might sound something like: “Lord, You are the only One who can carry me through. I need You and I depend on You.”
This is the type of praise expressed in Psalm 42 when the Psalmist is “cast down” and constantly mourning because of his enemies. His grief was so raw that he said his tears were his only food day and night. And yet, he commanded his soul to praise the Lord anyway:
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him. (Psalm 42:5, NKJV)
When Praise is Hard, Remember the Truth
The foundation of all true praise and worship is the truth about who God is. Even when you don’t feel like rejoicing, you still can and must remember the truth about God.
The Psalms are especially helpful to read when it’s hard to worship because they express both depths of sorrow and longing, along with reminders of God’s character, and expressions of praise.
Some of the truths we can meditate on from the Psalms are:
- The Lord laughs at the wicked for He knows that he will soon perish and face judgement (Ps. 37:13)
- The Lord upholds the righteous. (Ps 37:17)
- The Lord loves justice and does not forsake His saints. (Ps 37:28)
- The Lord is a strength in our time of trouble, He helps us and delivers us. (Ps. 37:39-40)
When Praise is Hard, Repeat the Truth
If the foundation for praise is remembering who God is, the action of praise is repeating the truth about God. You can do this through singing, sharing testimonies, speaking the names of God out loud, or giving thanks.
I’ve noticed that once I begin preaching truth to myself, it’s easier to praise God. I do this by speaking to the Lord things like:
- I believe You are God.
- I trust You.
- I believe You’re my provider.
- I know You are sovereign and good.
When Praise is Hard, Rejoice in the Truth
The wonderful thing about praise is that, very often, as we choose to worship God regardless of our emotions, our emotions will begin to align with God’s Word. Peace, comfort, and joy from the Holy Spirit often follow our obedience and acts of faith.
Changed emotions don’t always accompany praise. Be careful not to view them as a sign of how well you’re praising Jesus or if you have the favor of God. But when you choose to act in faith on God’s Word, you will often find the grace of God to also rejoice and give thanks for what previously felt impossible to rejoice in.
When Praise is Hard, Respond in Faith
How can you respond when prayers go unanswered, grief floods in, persecution arises, or sickness overwhelms? Praise the one who is worthy of all praise.
And if that sounds impossible, remember that praise doesn’t require a fake smile or counterfeit gratitude. Praise that pleases God requires clinging to Christ and declaring your faith and trust in Him even in your suffering.
“Lord, I believe that You are sovereign over all things and that You are using all things for good. Thank You for Your grace in this season. I praise You Lord. Amen.”