Stay in the Praise

 

Most of us were taught from a young age that prayer is the way we communicate with God. And that’s true — prayer is our direct line to our Father. But here’s the thing: many of us spend more time in prayer asking than we do praising.

 

Think about it. How often do our prayers sound like this: “Lord, I need… Father, help me with… God, I’m struggling with…”? It’s not wrong to bring our needs before God. Scripture tells us to cast all our cares upon Him, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). But if our prayer life becomes nothing more than a shopping list of needs, we’re missing out on something deeper.

 

Praise is thanksgiving. Praise is lifting up His name. Praise is recognizing who He is and what He has already done. When we praise, we shift our focus from what we lack to who He is. From our problems to His promises. From our weakness to His strength.

 

Philippians 4:6 (CJB) says:

“Don’t worry about anything; on the contrary, make your requests known to God by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving.”

 

Did you catch that last part? With thanksgiving. In other words, prayer and praise are meant to flow together. When we stay in the praise, we actually posture our hearts to receive His peace, even before we see the answer.

 

The Difference Between Asking and Thanking:

 

When my prayer life is centered only on asking, I can easily slip into doubt, frustration, or even self-pity. But when my prayer life is overflowing with praise, I find that I don’t need to ask for as much. Why? Because my eyes are opened to how faithful He already is.

 

It might sound something like this:

 

• Instead of, “Lord, why is my marriage so hard?” I say, “Thank You, Father, for the wife You’ve given me. Thank You for teaching me to love her like Christ loves the Church.”

 

• Instead of, “God, why do I have so little?” I say, “Thank You, Lord, for providing a roof over my head, food on my table, and even the breath in my lungs today.”

 

• Instead of, “Father, why do I feel alone?” I say, “Thank You, Lord, for never leaving me or forsaking me. Thank You for walking beside me in every season.”

 

If you’re struggling to see blessings in your life, let me encourage you: even in the hardest moments, there’s something to praise Him for. Maybe it’s simply that you woke up this morning. Maybe it’s the friend who called to check on you. Maybe it’s the grace that covered the mistakes you made yesterday.

 

Psalm 34:1 (CJB) says:

“I will bless Adonai at all times; his praise will always be in my mouth.”

 

When we adopt that mindset, something shifts. We don’t stop praying. We just stop praying from desperation and start praying from gratitude.

 

Today, I want to challenge you with three simple steps:

 

1. Start with Praise — Before you ask God for anything today, take two minutes to thank Him for at least three things you normally overlook.

 

2. Interrupt with Praise — When anxiety or frustration starts to rise, stop and speak one line of praise: “Thank You, Lord, for Your goodness.”

 

3. End with Praise — Before you go to sleep, recall one way God showed up today — even in a small way — and praise Him for it.

 

“Father, thank You. Thank You for what You’ve already done, for what You are doing right now, and for what You will do tomorrow. Teach me to live with a heart of praise. Let my prayer life overflow with thanksgiving, so that my faith grows stronger in every season. Use me as Your vessel, Lord. I am Yours. In Yeshua’s name, amen.”

 

-Rev Carlos Figueroa