TWO HINDRANCES TO PRAISE

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth – Psalm 34:1

There are two chief hindrances to a Lifestyle of Praise: Selfishness and Pride. Many are living defeated and dejected lives because they have been slaves to selfishness and pawns to pride. They have neither discovered nor learned how to tap into the power of praise!

True Praise demands that you get your focus off yourself and back on God. In our often “selfie” focused world, we need this constant reminder – life is not all about us.  We may know that in our heads, but yet our hearts think differently so often. We're prone to selfishness. God desires that our eyes be set firmly on Him, because that's where our true hope is found. He is worthy of our praise, no matter what we face from day to day: “Praise Him for His mighty deeds; praise Him according to His excellent greatness!”  (Psa. 150:2).

Pride is a second hindrance to Praise. The proud cannot praise God. Praise brings us to a place of humility. We remember our dependency on God; we acknowledge our need for Him. As we praise Him as Creator and King of our world, we admit and recognize that we’re not in control, but He is. He is above all: “Though the LORD is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar” (Psa.138:6). Also, Psalm 95:2-3 says: “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms! For the LORD is the great God, and the great King above all gods.” 

Psalm 34:2 declares: “My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.” When you operate above selfishness and pride, and learn to praise God with all your heart, you will release His supernatural power in your life, and experience consistent victory in every area of your life: “Now thanks be to God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the aroma of His knowledge by us in every place” (2Cor.2:14).