Daily Devotional – 9/22/17 “Will you still praise Him?”

It is another Friday and somebody woke up with the same funky attitude you laid down with because you gave another person your heart and they fumbled with it. Or maybe it’s the fact you’re still temporarily out of funds and just got paid. Or maybe you are still trying to figure out why it’s you who have to be sick. Or maybe you’ve been on this faith journey for some time and still seeing no return on your harvest. Or maybe you’re watching your child choose the streets over salvation. Or you have to be witness to your spouse choosing the addiction over their family. Or maybe you’re just plain ole fed up with everything and everybody. But what now? After you’ve thrown the tantrum, what changed? After you’ve broken some stuff, what happened? After you cried, then what? After you shut folk out, what? What happened beloved? I know you are worn out with the ‘preacher’ talk and hearing, ‘hold on,’ tired of being told, ‘it will be alright in the morning,” but can I ask you a question.

Will you praise God right where you are? Even if your prayer hasn’t been answered, even if there is no check in the mailbox, even if the kidney hasn’t shown up yet, even if you woke up still craving the alcohol and drugs and even if it still hurts, will you praise? Because I just believe that God has already spoken to the end of your situation. You don’t have to believe me but in the bible when Lazarus was sick and dying, Jesus didn’t show up right away. His friend lay at the point of death and Jesus says, “Lazarus’ sickness isn’t until death,” and for the next two days Jesus stayed where He was until Lazarus died. Why? Because He needed people to see the manifestation of His power. Beloved, your situation isn’t until death but will you trust that God has already spoken your deliverance and praise Him in the middle of it? Because in a few days, Jesus will show up and tell them to roll the stone away and He will call your name saying come out. All you have to do is trust Him enough to praise Him, even in the darkness of the grave. Will you?