Praise Him
In times of struggle, suffering, and pain, one of the last things people seeking counsel want to hear is the command to praise God during their circumstances. As fallen humans, we love to play the victim and look for sympathy. We let our emotions drive us towards the way of the world instead of seeking peace in Jesus Christ. What if in every situation, we sought to worship God with our thankfulness (Philippians 4:4-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18)?
In 1 Peter 1:3-5, we find three reasons for us to praise God.
First, as unworthy as we are, God has chosen to show us grace and mercy, to make us “born again to a living hope (1 Peter 1:3, cf. John 3:3, 7, 8).” He has united us together with Himself (Ephesians 2:5). He has caused us to look forward to our resurrection with confidence. A great reason for us to praise Him then, is for what He has done for us.
In verse 4, we continue to look forward with a great expectation for an inheritance laid up for us in heaven. Peter describes this inheritance as “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading (1 Peter 1:4).” Imagine something that never degrades, something that has never been nor will be tainted by sin, evil, and suffering, something that will never end. It will last forever. What a gift God has bestowed upon us! The second reason for praise, then, is for what He has given to us.
Lest we fall to our foes (our flesh, the devil, and the world, see Heidelberg Catechism LD 52), let us praise God for a third reason – for what He does for us (1 Peter 1:5). He guards us in the faith as soldiers protect a city, standing watch and fighting the enemy. He is also our refuge, our shield. He is the one who preserves us so that we persevere in the faith until that final day of judgement when we receive our glorified bodies (Philippians 3:20-21, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).
With these reasons held firmly, we must ask ourselves some simple questions: Do we live a life of praise in every circumstance? When we struggle, do we turn back to the ways of the world and seek refuge in the one who has redeemed us? As believers, we can all find comfort in Jesus as we praise Him for what He has done, for what He has given us, and for what He does for us. So, with the Psalmist, let us lift our voices and praise Him who is faithful to us (Psalm 145).
