Praise Life

The results and revelations of praise

How is it possible to describe the goodness of God in 200 words? Ever since coming into Rhema Bible Training Centre, God has been doing so much for me. Initially, I couldn’t tell the difference in myself. I had people coming up to me and telling me how I’ve changed and how different I’ve become. Glory to God!

Waking up in the morning can be a painful experience. When the mind is dull with sleep and every fibre in your body screams out for more sleep. Ever since my kindergarten days, I always dreaded waking up early. My parents would exclaim that it was as if the frame of my body had been fused to the mattress. Any attempt to get me out of bed before I was ready (5 minutes more!) would leave me grumpy and in a foul mood. This habit followed me down through the years.
A change came when I was reading a book and the author quoted Smith Wigglesworth.

I don't ask my body how it's feeling; I tell it how to feel.
- Smith Wigglesworth -

The revelation felt like a punch to the head. It occurred to me that I could choose to do that too! I decided to try it. And it was a disaster! I would mumble “Thank You God” under my breath when I woke up the next morning. But I was feeling as horrible as always. But I kept trying and kept praising God. I even turned on some praise and worship songs like “Rejoice in the Lord Always” in the morning which would change my focus and put a smile on my face.

I woke up today feeling pretty lousy. My body was aching from the drumming during AWE worship. My head was aching from all the thoughts rushing through my head. I went to the computer to try to install the new hard disk that I'd gotten but I couldn't get it to work. At that moment, I really felt very useless. I seriously didn't feel like going to church. As I was walking back to my room, I told myself, "This isn't the way I should be behaving!!" Thats when I started to pray in tongues and began to thank God and praise God for how good He is. Luckily there was no one at home because they would have be scared by my shouting, "Hallelujah" and "Praise God". And that was when I started to feel better! Praise God that when I stepped out of the elevator to the lobby, there was a cab waiting for me.

Many times in life, I would question God, “How come You don’t do the great things that I see in other people’s life for me?”
I would get upset when I heard good reports and testimonies from others. Not upset at them or that good things were happening to them. But upset that I was not experiencing those blessings. I wanted those blessings so much! I would pray fervently for God to bless me and use me to achieve His purposes.

God in His graciousness told me over a series of events that it wasn’t that He was withholding His blessings. It was that I wasn’t taking time to recognise it. I wasn’t giving Him the glory and praise that was due to Him. My understanding of His blessings was too shallow, selfish and warped. When I would pray for a situation, I would come to Him with preconceived ideas on how I wanted Him to work. Ways which I could figure out with my mind.

He began to show me His hand guiding and protecting me in my life. He reminded me of things that He’d done for me when I was in Polytechnic, in the army, in church and even now in Rhema Bible Training Center. He told me in such a loving way that it offended Him that I wasn’t thanking Him. You see, I was demanding that things be done in my way and even though He fulfilled His plans in a more glorious and splendid way, I didn’t recognise it.

If I want to see more power, I’d have to learn to recognise and thank Him for what He’s already done for me.

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much…
- Luke 16:10 -

I believe that because I’m praising Him, He’s showing me more and more adjustments that I have to make in my life. At the same time, He’s revealing more truths to me. Praise God forever!