Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels, all his heavenly hosts.
Psalm 148:1-2
It's easy to praise and worship God in Church. Singing the songs, you automatically think of God. What happens when you get home? As you enter the week? When you're in the middle of the week? Do you still praise God?
I can't focus!!
Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
Psalm 148:3-4
About two months ago I went though a month of fear and worry about my health. The first week the muscle over my ribs was pulled. I had to limit my movements because it would hurt if I moved in a certain way. I worried how long I would have to do this.
The second week I was going to donate plasma. During the first appointment I had to stop the process of donating early because I began to panic (I've never seen that much of my blood outside my body before!). I scheduled another appointment to try again in the next three days. Those three days were agony. I had a lot of panic attacks. My heart raced through each night. I was a wreck. The day I donated a second time it went better.
The third week I had multiple heart palpitations throughout the day; I felt so stressed from the past two weeks. That's when God got my attention.
Be still, dear daughter
Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created. He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.
Psalm 148:5-6
That second day I donated plasma, God told me to focus on Him. Don't predict what could happen. Just focus on Me. I really had to focus hard and His peace passed through me. He was going to be with me. Of course He was.
In that third week I looked back at the two stress-filled weeks and realized I was not relying on my Heavenly Father. I didn't even cry out to my Father or think of Him during my first Plasma appointment. I was horrified. I began my journey of thanking God in my situations. Get this; I wasn't thanking God for the palpitations but was thanking Him that He was bringing my attention back to Him.
Now I am doing a lot better. I am still continually working on being thankful and praising Him. From time to time I still complain, whine and am negative. Thank God for His grace and mercy!
