He Inhabits Your Praise!

Today, I began to read some of my old journals that I had poured my heart and soul into during my divorce.  As I thumbed through one of the journals, I noticed myself writing the same things over and over.  I was so lost during that season of my life.  I remember the heaviness all too well.  In one breath, I was so depressed that I couldn't see where there was any chance of life getting better.  In the next breath, I expressed feelings of empowerment and the ability to conquer the world.  Truly a  roller coaster of emotions.  I wrote about the time when I felt everything I had helped build and create had been taken from me like a newborn being ripped out of his mother's arms.  One day, I could look around and say, 'Look at what God helped us build', to the next day, driving by those things and saying, 'Look at the baby that was stolen from me'.  Trying to resolve in myself that I would no longer be able to lay claims on something I was so instrumental in building/birthing.  It was like a death to me emotionally.  I grieved for so long over the losses.  To see, what was once yours and not be able to touch it or show it off as being apart of you was devastating.


Then it came to me...read these passages again.  So I did.  Read it again. So I did.  I reread these writings several times, when it finally jumped out to me.  I...Me...Things.  I was so focused on my pain from the losses, I didn't take the time to tell God, "THANK YOU", for allowing me to have given birth to this dream.  And although, it may not be something I can be apart of now, it will forever be something that God used me, for a time, to fulfill a purpose he needed to complete.  It's like raising kids, God uses you to give birth to them, He allows you to raise them and nourish them, but there comes a time when you have to let them go.  That's what I needed to see and hear.  It was just my time to 'let go'.  


There are things in our lives, that God has given us to take care of and nourish.  I don't know what yours might be, it could be children, a church, elderly parents, etc...  But, it's time to realize it's not about you!  It's about the greater cause...HIM!  We are merely vessels.  He can't fill us with new wine unless we have emptied out from what was in us previously.  I realized that the depression I was in was merely anger with no place to go.  It's time to turn your mourning into dancing, Isaiah 61:3.  Exchange your spirit of heaviness for the garment of praise!  It's time to exchange your POUT for a PRAISE!  Let Go of the former.  Let go of that relationship that is going nowhere!  Let go of the baggage from your past!  Let go of the negativity, the "it's never going to change" attitude!  Let go of that House that has swallowed you up in debt!  Change is a choice! We can choose it today!  Release what you're holding on to so that God can give you what HE wants you to have next!


I have come to learn that, wherever you are start to praise God, because that's when He shows up!  Whatever state you may find yourself in, right now, stop, make a conscious decision to CHANGE or EXCHANGE what is in your possession and begin to PRAISE HIM!  Some kind of way, find you a PRAISE!  Psalms 22:3 says, "But thou art Holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."  See, He inhabits, which means to 'live in or occupy', your praise!  Another story comes to mind about Paul & Silas.  At midnight, they began to sing praises, and as they praised there was an earthquake and their chains were loosened and they were set free!  It's time for you to start an earthquake with your praise.  If we only new the power of our praise!


This may only be for me today, but I'm making, yet another, about face in my life. An EXCHANGE, if you will.   I'm puttin' on my praise, because I need HIM to come and 'live in and occupy' the circumstances in my life.  Some people may call it a gamble to let go of what they are holding on to, but I call it FAITH!  I want what's in HIS Hands over what's in mine, any day!