I love it when my soul is stirred up. It is when I experience something within the very core of my being. I experience something that makes me feel squishy inside–a scintillating feeling from which anything can happen: an inspiration, a life changing thought or idea, a push forward in the right direction. Sometimes I feel it with music or through a casual conversation. On other occasions, I feel it when I meditate on scriptures from the bible.

Psalm 150:1-6

Whenever I read this psalm I think about the emphasis on praising God with different things. It reminds me how we ought to praise God everyday with everything we possess. We ought to praise him according to his excellent greatness (verse 2). Can you imagine what that could possibly look like?…to praise him according HIS excellent greatness. We ought to praise God with our money, with our attitude, with our time, with our obedience, with our thoughts, with our hands, with our words, with our talents, with our gifts, with our personality and how we relate to others. I could only hope that this at least scratches the surface.

We should be taking every opportunity to praise him: Instead of  buying something you normally indulge in often, give the money to a person in need (for when we give to the needy, we give to Him); respond differently to that rude person you encounter each day; don’t think negative about your day before it has even begun; when God says go left or right or north or south, GO, even if it makes no sense at all; instead of overwhelming your thoughts about how someone wronged you, think about the good things God has done for you and the positive things that causes you to have a relationship with that person; put your hands to something that is going to bless and bring joy to another person; speak positive words even though the rage in you wants to say negative things about the person who keeps doing the same ridiculous nonsensical things over and over again.

When you love another person or care about their feelings, you shower them with gifts just because, you take the time to acknowledge wonderful things about them just because, you shower them with love in the ways you know best just because. Taking every opportunity to praise God and being thankful looks just like the “doing just because” kind of things because it is how God receives our love.

I don’t always realize how these things…though seemingly little are a praise unto the Lord. Its not just singing and dancing but giving God all of ourselves…our entire being and everything that makes us who we are. So, this scripture is always a wonderful reminder to me. The more you die to yourself, the more you are practicing making Jesus your priority. Its not always easy, but when you do it out of a place of love and appreciation for who God is, it becomes natural because you are killing offense and personal hurt.

Reality Check: Its not about you! God loves you, YES! But your life is about impact! So again I say, It’s not about you! Its about He who created you! Thats it!

If you can’t or refuse, then you have to ask yourself how much do you really love God. I have to ask myself this question quite often to push myself to go the extra mile. 

Self-sacrifice often becomes a symbol of love. How often have you practiced that for your mom, sister, brother, best friend, husband, wife, child, grandparent or father? How often have you practiced that for God?

Is it worth it? Is living a life of praise worth it?

I think its worth every penny, every second, every act and every spoken word because you are living the life your daddy desires you to live. I think its worth it because you are living to express your love for him thereby building and strengthening an irreplaceable relationship. I’m pretty sure you can think of atleast one irreplaceable relationship that has greatly affected your life. Don’t overlook this one.

Normel Smith

Wife to an amazing husband, mother to an exploring toddler and an MPA graduate aspiring to impact the world with encouragement in mothering and in social entrepreneurship.