November 1st Daily Devotion - Day 5

Do Not Let the Circumstance Silence Your Praise

Reading: Psalm 34:1 -- The psalmist declares his intention to bless the Lord at all times, with praise remaining continually in his mouth -- a posture that is not conditional on favorable circumstances.

Devotional: Praise is not a response to good news. It is a declaration of who God is regardless of the news. The psalmist who wrote Psalm 34 was not writing from a place of comfort. He was writing from a place of desperation and deliverance. His praise was not born out of ease but out of experience -- the experience of a God who had proven Himself faithful. Job lost everything and still said that the name of the Lord is worthy to be blessed. The Israelites in Babylon hung up their harps and refused to sing. One posture produced strength; the other produced prolonged sorrow. Do not let your circumstance silence what your history with God has already proven to be true.

Reflection: Has there been a season in your life when difficulty caused you to grow quiet in your praise and prayer? What brought you back, and what did you learn about God in that process?

Practical Application: Set aside fifteen minutes today to do nothing other than praise. Not petition, not intercession -- simply praise. Speak or sing about who God is and what He has done. Let that become a daily rhythm, not a once-in-a-while response to good circumstances.