Why Blessing God is Absolutely Good for You

Do you ever have days when you just don't know what to say to God? Perhaps no matter how you try, you just can't seem to pin your thoughts down. Or maybe, the weight of your circumstances bears so heavily on you, that you'd rather not talk about them, not even to God. Whether distracted or disturbed, sometimes, we just can't find the words. 

On days like that, I choose to bless God. 

How does one bless God, you ask. Well, it all starts with remembering. Remembering who God is and all that He has done.

But there's a problem:

‘Memory is very treacherous about the best things; by a strange perversity, engendered by the fall, it treasures up the refuse of the past and permits priceless treasures to lie neglected, it is tenacious of grievances and holds benefits all too loosely.’ ~Treasury of David

Given the 'strange perversity' of my memory, if I'm not intentional, I will neglect countless blessings granted to me as a child of God, allowing them to sit in the corner of my mind gathering dust while I cling to the 'refuse of the past'. 

It takes effort to remember the good, especially when the brokenness of this world is clouding our view.  Yet, God knows the good in store for us when we take the time to remember and bless His Holy name. 

Welcome to Phase Two of The Five B's of Living, Breathing, Beautiful Prayer - Bless the Lord. Don't let the phases confuse you, living. breathing, beautiful prayer is not a formula of words, but more a posture of the heart that becomes a lifestyle. In my last blog post, I shared Phase One - Behold your God where we pause to recognize who we are praying to. If you missed it, you can get caught up here, and be sure to download my free printable - Beholding the Majesty of God.  

To bless God is more than to praise Him; it is to praise Him with affection and gratitude, not only in our prayers but in our very lives. To acknowledge Him as the 'only fountain of being and happiness from which all good ever flows'. It is to call your whole being 'to arise to praiseful gratitude for God's justifying, redeeming, and renewing grace.’ (Bible Hub)  

Blessing God is to remember with heartfelt thanks all that He has done for you, both in the spiritual and physical realms. If you keep a journal or diary, a simple look back through its pages can remind you of the wondrous ways God has worked in your life. Sometimes, a photo album, or the memories that pop up on Facebook even, can spur you to celebrate the goodness of God. But when life feels hard and our souls are downcast, sometimes we need a little help to bless God. And God has provided just the help we need in his Word. If ever you need a nudge remembering all that God has done for you, look to David's poem in Psalm 103. 

Reading through Psalm 103 is like an energy boost for the soul, a reminder of the many benefits we get to enjoy as children of God. Let's look at a few of the reasons our souls can rejoice in the Lord:

God forgives all our sins, then He lavishes us with steadfast and abundant love and mercy. He satisfies us with good things and works righteousness and justice for the oppressed. Thankfully, He does not deal with us according to our sins but is compassionate toward us who fear Him, knowing our frame, and remembering that we are dust. God's love for us is everlasting.

So, when your prayers feel like dust, open your Bible to Psalm 103, meditate on the word of God and recount His blessings to you. And as your praise rises, messy and muddled as it may seem, a miracle will unfold. Hope will enter in. 

For as we attempt to bless God, God blesses us. God in His mercy, takes our meager offerings of praise and infuses our hearts with life-giving hope. And my friend, given the state of the world today, I can't think of anything better for you right now, than a good, solid dose of hope rightly placed in the God of hope. 

Hope - the very essence of our lives - that which causes us to keep stepping forward in faith, believing, no rather, knowing that no matter how dreary life may appear when we walk with God, all is well. 

So, as it turns out, blessing God is not only the perfect prayer starter but it also miraculously transcends our prayer closets and steeps our lives in hope. It is, by God's mercy, absolutely good for you.  

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What about you?

Are you in need of a fresh outpouring of hope today?

When was the last time you took the time to count all your blessings? 

Naming them one by one? 

How does blessing God permeate all aspects of your life?

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May grace and peace be multiplied to you,

Carlie

We'll continue with the third phase of our Five B's of Living, Breathing, Beautiful prayer in the next blog post. 

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Why Blessing God is Absolutely Good for You