Post No. 278 (I'll praise You in this storm)

Went to polyclinic this afternoon and was declared "all clear", just that the swelling will take a couple of weeks to go away.

The injury to my lips made it difficult for me to speak, with it being swollen and all. So I didn't really talk much since the accident yesterday.

I went to prayer community in the evening and found it really difficult to worship due to the swollen lips. And then, God spoke to my heart.

Many a times, we face certain setbacks and difficulties and find it hard to worship God. I'm not speaking physically (which is so in my case), but mentally and spiritually as well. I mean, its only logical isn't it? What praises can we bring when things are not going so well?

But hold on a minute here. We are missing the point. We are not praising God for the sake of praising God. Not because we are happy or because things are going real smoothly for us. We are praising because HE IS GOD.

By refusing to praise God in our difficulties, we are not seeing the fact that God is actually sovereign over our trials. This means that God is in control of our trials. Remember how everytime Satan wanted to test Job, he had to go through God first? And God also makes sure that no trials is greater than that which we can bear. Whenever there's a trial, it is surely one that we can overcome, and in overcoming, strengthen our faith.

1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will provide a way out, so that you can stand up under it."

Then you may ask, "if God is in control of our trials, why does He make us go through these trials and make us suffer?"

Well, there's a reason for everything God does. Its not just to make you suffer for no reason. God is not some sadistic person who rejoices in seeing His creation suffer. God loves us and what He does is for a purpose. I mentioned it earlier, it is to strengthen and validate our faith.

1 Peter 1:7 "These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed."

No matter how hard our trials are, no matter how difficult life has become for us, know that God is in control and He is with us always. We can always look to Him for the support and comfort we need, wherever, whenever.

Matthew 28:20B "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

So during worship today, I told God, "Its really difficult, God. Really difficult. I'm in no mood and my lips aren't helping much."

And He spoke to my heart, "Its alright. Its alright. I'm right here. I'm right here with you."

I worshipped. I praised. I wept.