Lately, I have been spending so much time thinking about problems or difficulties. That is easy to do because difficulties and problems are often demanding and require immediate attention.
The problem with paying constant attention to those things is that it can become habit forming. We wake up thinking about them, deal with them all day, and then they are the last thing we think about before bed. Eventually that becomes our life.
As I thought about my attitude over the past few weeks, it became clear that something needed to change. And one of the best ways for me to generate that change is when I find my focus on the difficulty, I start to praise instead.
This morning I turned to Psalm 150. Thirteen times in six verses we are commanded to praise. The song begins simply, “Praise the LORD!”
Then it tells us to praise God in both His sanctuary and His mighty heaven. We are to praise him for His mighty works and His unequaled greatness.
Our praise is with a blast of the ram’s horn, or trumpet. It is with lyre, harp, tambourine, strings, flutes, and dancing. And if that isn’t enough, throw in a clash of cymbals along with the loud clanging cymbals. (That tells me God is not afraid of noise!)
Finally, the song clarifies who is to praise – “everything that breathes” is to “Praise the LORD!”
Well, if that doesn’t change my attitude, I am not sure what will! “Praise the LORD!”
