Persevering with a Heavenly Perspective

05/22/22 – 05/31/22

Praise from the Prison of Affliction

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  05/25/22

Regardless of how many times we have experienced the fulfillment of God’s promises, we seem to have short memories.

Life suddenly veers down an unexpected path, and we begin wondering if we are going to make it. We try to find a way out of our misery and realize the situation is impossible apart from God. Instead of praising the Lord and trusting Him for a way of escape, we resort to worrying and grumbling.

If there was one man who had a right to grumble and complain in the New Testament, it was Paul. After his conversion, his life seemed to be composed of one life-threatening conflict after another. He was imprisoned, shipwrecked, tortured, and threatened. Paul’s suffering was so great that many of his letters were written from prison.

Yet, when we find Paul in his darkest hour, he was not griping about his circumstances—he was praising God. For Paul, praising God had become a habit, a way of life. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus:

[B]e filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:18-20).

As believers determined to honor Christ with every portion of our lives, our lips should come into harmony with our actions as we praise God at every opportunity. This is how we live with a heavenly perspective—one that is set on the one who can transform our darkest situation into one of hope and light.

Prayer: Lord, remind me of Your goodness and greatness today when I get discouraged, and teach me how to praise You at all times. Let me not forget Your faithfulness. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“Be exalted in your strength, LORD; we will sing and praise your might” (Psalm 21:13).