Your Unique Praise
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:” Psalm 103:1-2 NKJV
To bless the Lord means to gratefully and affectionately praise Him. All right, so this doesn’t sound all that new or revelatory but none the less it is one of the first things we seem to forget when the moment of trouble comes to us. Make a choice to praise Him even when it appears that things are falling apart around you. They are not! He is always in control and He will not let you fail or fall as long as we are looking to Him. Praise Him in the midst of the storm.
Because you have witnessed His blessing and goodness poured out to you abundantly, you can praise Him even at that moment when you do not know what to do. As you recall how He has delivered you in the past, know that He will deliver you again in the midst of your present trial. A grateful heart that remembers His goodness and love will strengthen you to praise Him even when your mind says “there is nothing praiseworthy here that I can see!”
Praise Him, and let it be praise that comes from your soul. Your soul is your thoughts, your mind, your personality and your will. It is that unique eternal creation he made that is only you. The praise comes from the soul, from our thoughts (including our past remembrances). It comes from the soul, the mind that has decided to praise Him, regardless of appearances. It comes from the soul, the unique personality that is you. Jesus created you unlike any other of the billions of people who have ever lived on this earth. There is none like you and only you can praise Him in the way He created you to do so. He desires to hear the praise that comes from the unique creation that He made in you and you alone. It comes from the soul which is your will. You have to will to praise Him when the flesh and all that is logical says not to.
All that is within you should and needs to bless His Holy name today. Then watch the victory and deliverance come from ways you would not have expected or thought.
J Todd Hostetler