When You can't Pray....JUST PRAISE
We are all sinners and we face many struggles and trials in our lifetime. Our struggles are packaged differently. There are people with broken relationships, family turmoil, insolvent debts and incurable diseases. There are dark moments in our lives where we cannot even see the light. Darkness surrounds us and our faith weakens. There are times where we may even doubt our existence and purpose in life. But God's love is always here and He would never forsake us. Nehemiah 8:10 states, "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength". PICK UP yourself and thank God because you are STILL HERE. You didn't happen by chance and the unfortunate circumstances that are in your life is God's way of teaching and preparing you for the blessings that are to come.
Allow me to share a bit of my life with you. Within a period of 5 years, I had 2 surgeries. Complications from the 2nd surgery was very painful. As I laid in the hospital bed trying so desperately to remember some sort of prayer to say that would make the pain go away, I couldn't remember any. The pain was too much to bear and my memory failed. I couldn't remember any of the prayers I had recited over the years in the Anglican Church. I couldn't even remember my favourite psalms, Psalm 23, nor Psalm 27—nothing came to mind; only pain. Then I remembered one word, only one word was able to break through all that pain - and that word was "Jesus". I placed my palms on my stomach where the incision was made and I called upon the name of Jesus: "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus". After I called the name of Jesus, I just started to praise him with short phrases:
Thank you Jesus!
Bless Your Holy Name!
You are the Almighty!
You are worthy to be praised!
Thank you Lord!
Because of the pain, I couldn't find the words to pray, but somehow I found the words to praise. As I started to praise, the pain started to subside. Some may say it was the painkillers kicking in, but I say it was my Lord restoring my body. As Exodus 23:25 states, "Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you…"
Healing takes place when you Praise.
Chains are broken when you Praise.
Mountains are removed when you Praise.
When you don't know how to pray and you just don't' know the words to say....JUST PRAISE.
There are days when your heart is overwhelmed with sadness. You kneel down to pray but you don't know what to say. You may no longer have a smile on your face and your future has changed its course leaving you in a state of hopelessness. When you just don't' know the words to say.... JUST PRAISE.
You try to think about only happy thoughts that occurred in the past, but your worries and present circumstances overcomes you. Everyday you cry rivers of tears and you have no more energy to press forward. When you just don't know the words to say....JUST PRAISE.
You are all alone, though you sit in a crowded room. You pretend to be happy but somehow there seems to be no joy in your heart. Everyday you cry and every minute you ask why: when you just don't' know the words to say....JUST PRAISE.
There is a certain praise chorus we sing in church, particularly in the Caribbean, and it goes like this:
I am under the rock, the rock that's higher than I Jehovah hide me, I am under the rock Go tell my enemies, I am under the rock Jehovah hide me, I am under the rock
Know that you are under the Rock and no matter what hurdles or mountains that are placed before you, it will fall by the sound of the name Jesus.
NEVER lose your hope;
NEVER lose your joy;
NEVER lose your faith;
and NEVER lose your PRAISE
