Is Your Praise Greater Than Your Pain?

"I will bless the Lord at ALL times: praise shall continually be in my mouth".

Psalm 34:1

I’m not going to lie, the past 3 years have not been a Sunday School picnic. Starting with 2 failed back surgeries and the progression of my small fiber neuropathy and then year before last (2023) the passing of my precious Dad, my mother-in-law Vincetta, and then my sweet sister Trudy. All within a few weeks. Then throw in my husband Carlo’s heart attack and quadruple by-pass. I’ve always said that our family doesn’t do calm and easy. (Probably because there is Italian blood in the mix. ;) ) Because I have been down so long, obviously I have had a lot of time to think. Right from the beginning though, I made the decision to get “better” not “bitter.” I know getting bitter is so easy to do and I will admit there have been moments when I have been tempted to fall into that trap. You might have to remind yourself to not get bitter and choose better. 

“ Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.” Psalm 150:6 

I have watched many people over the years and have observed how they respond to trials and pain. It really is about a conscious decision to choose joy over defeat. Notice that I didn’t say happiness because that is ever changing and temporary, but joy comes from deep in your soul and mind. Joy comes only from the Lord. Remember the Sunday School song, “The Joy of the Lord is My Strength?” We draw strength from the Lord as we experience joy. 

“…for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 

Do you know that Satan would love nothing more than to see you defeated and discouraged but I think it confuses and angers him when he sees someone praising the Lord in the midst of their trials. Remember Job? That’s a good book to read when you are down in the dumps and think that nobody has trouble and pain like you do. Wow! That poor man really went through trial after trial and in a constant state of pain and persecution from his “friends.” I don’t think any of us have had it that bad. Yet the Bible tells us that he didn’t lose faith and still trusted the Lord to bring him through. I wonder if Job sang praises to the Lord? I find singing songs to the Lord not only honors Him but also you will find that it lifts your spirit. And no, I don’t mean singing “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen.” God knows and He cares. “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” “I Sing Praises to His Name.”  And my favorite song that I sing all the time, “It is Well With My Soul.” So many other praise songs run through my mind. Even songs of praise sung through tears will soon turn your tears into joy. The song, “Tears Are a Language God Understands,” comes to mind. You may say, “I don’t feel like singing praises.” Remember your feelings are what always get you in trouble. Remember the saying, “Fake it until you make it?” I’m not saying to fake it, but once you start singing, you will be surprised how when you meditate on the words, that God will turn your sorrow into joy and praise. 

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Psalm 28:7 

If you are going through a trial and you are in pain (physical or heart), start singing. Rejoice in the Lord. Sometimes we get so focused on our own pain and troubles that that’s all we see and feel. I think about so many others who are going through much greater pain and trials, and it makes me realize that it could be so much worse. When we take our eyes off ourselves, it forces us to reach out to others and pray for them and try to encourage them in the Lord to not give up. To make our praise greater than our pain. It truly is “Well With My Soul” and I am safely “In His Hands.” 

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.” John 16:20