Recently while my husband was out running, he received a phone call that he had to take. Slowing his pace to a walk, he hit the “answer” button, then proceeded to explain to the caller the reason for his hard breathing. The caller said, “I knew you were running the second you answered; I heard it in your breath!”
As he relayed that story to me, I wondered, “what do people hear when I speak?”
Psalm 150:6 says,
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”
When I pick up the phone and talk to my husband, does he hear praise to the Lord coming from my lips?
When I talk to my children, are they hearing praise?
What does the cashier,
the waitress, or
my neighbor hear when I speak?
Is my breath consistently praising the Lord?
No, not always. Sometimes those I speak to hear criticism, worry, fear or complaint instead. I was convicted.
The God Who created you and me gives us every breath we breathe. Why do we not use that breath to praise Him? I’ve come to this conclusion –
I need to praise more and criticize less.
I must bless the Lord more and complain less.
I have to praise more and worry less.
How would you fill in this blank?
I need to praise more and _______________ less.
Now, turn that phrase into a prayer.
“Lord, thank you for every breath you give me. Help me to praise you more and _______ less!”
What could you praise the Lord for today?
With praise to my God,
I love this. I have thought about this on many occasions. My question is, with lots of life trials & family hardships, how do we let others hear our praise but also share our burdens when people inquire about how we’re doing? I’d love your input & wisdom.
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