The Power of our Praise
Let everyone everywhere join in the crescendo of ecstatic praise to Yahweh! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Psalm 150:6
I've talked many times about my journey with the Lord dealing with my complaining but in case you have not heard the story I will give a brief overview. The first time I heard the Lord as clear as day in my spirit was when I was restless with my current job, about to get married, and I heard so clear " Apply at the bank". I obeyed and my career of banking started the week I got married in 2002. I was so shy and backward, but I will say this job allowed me to not only grow in confidence but get to know my community personally. With that said my husband and I had dreams of building a home together and at the time getting full time as a teller was difficult with barely any turnover and very long-standing employees, so I took a job back office as a Computer Operator. As someone with a creative personality this job was extremely boring for me, and it didn't help I always dreamed of a career in music. I felt I was made for so much more than sitting behind a desk so that mindset just created this dissatisfaction with life! I missed out on the purpose God called me there. So, with a job I did not enjoy and a marriage that was not thriving I fell into such a dark mindset and complaining became so natural. I became good friends with a girl in the loan department and it became a joke how much the verse out of Philippians 2:14 'Do everything without complaining' would seem to be in every one of our devotionals. I also had a dear friend whom I love, and trust give me a word out of Proverbs about a complaining wife being like a constant dripping on a rainy-day OUCH! Yes, we are still friends HA! God used her to speak to my heart. It was humbling. I would love to say I have overcome this weakness, but it's been a journey and I can be stubborn. What I will say is the Lord is still revealing to me the importance of living a life of gratitude and how much power is in our praise! I recently spoke at my church women's conference on this, and while I was preparing, I did some scientific research on what complaining does to our health verses what gratitude does and it is extremely fascinating I encourage you to do some research on your own. Could some health issues be linked to constantly complaining?
Well, this past Tuesday my parents and I took a trip to Lancaster to see Sight and Sounds production of David and if you are able, I encourage you to go to one of their productions! They are so good! They bring the bible to life! Even if you are not a Christian but have a love for music give it a try! They put on such a phenomenal performance! The Lord used this to give me a deeper revelation of the power of my praise but not only that of how busyness can get in the way. To catch you up, in the fall of 2020 I quit my job as an Assistant Manager at the bank and took a job as an Optician. I desperately needed change and this job allowed me to have every weekend off which would allow me to have more time with my music. Long story short the music has taken a back seat for a season, and I decided to finish my Life Coaching Certification. So, after becoming certified in January 2022, I decided to quit my short career as an Optician and focus on building a Life Coaching business. For five months I was FREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! And guess what I found out? I have an unhealthy thought life. I was alone in my thoughts A LOT! Praise God I was able to go into our church's prayer room almost daily to just sit with the Lord and this was such a blessing! Then the bank called me and offered me an opportunity to help answer phones for two weeks to help with their online banking transition. Then after that a few months later I received another temporary opportunity to help the branch I use to help manage and I helped them as a teller while the manager went on maternity leave. Well, that temporary situation has turned into a regular part time situation. It's been really nice seeing customers again, but I am really trying hard to put my coaching into practice myself and learn boundaries which leads me into what I was saying about busyness. I have learned that I personally do not manage full-time career and family well at all. I am so thankful to be able to be only part time so that I can still go into the church and sit with the Lord on my days off or the days I go into the bank later. Can I do it at home? Sure, but this gives me an intentional reason to get myself ready and go into a distraction free place to be with the Lord. When I get too busy it's easy for me to drift from the Lord not taking intentional time with Him. When I was full time, I would come home so exhausted and drained, and give my spouse the worst of me. I also would not take as much time for family because I was just peopled out to be very honest. If I was able to go back in time, I would have been much much more intentional with my time with God and created much better boundaries to prevent burn out. I have also become aware that my prayer life is a lot more begging God to do this and that and not just sitting and praising Him for what has already been done ESPECIALLY at the cross! I have to ask myself, "Am I living like I'm still a slave destined for eternal damnation?" Hello somebody I have been saved! I am no longer a slave to sin AND I will spend eternity with GOD AND I can live abundantly NOW not have to wait until heaven! I must live from a place of victory and not defeat! Do I walk through hard circumstances? Of course, but I have a God who will help me! We enter his gates with Thanksgiving and His courts with praise! God inhabits the praise of HIs people! When you receive peace that passes all understanding that is the presence of our God! It makes no earthy sense! I have a dear friend who has been diagnosed with cancer and as I take her to her appointments, I grab her hand and pray, and peace floods our atmosphere! THAT IS OUR GOD!! Maybe you aren't happy with the election results, or you are happy with the results but the people complaining on Facebook are a bit much just praise God! It will change your focus from yourself and the world and onto the creator of this world! As your life coach may I encourage you to take social media breaks. We are way too over stimulated these days!
Whatever you are walking through praise God! No, I'm not saying to diminish what it is you are walking through- Life can be challenging and I do think we need to allow ourselves to process and emotionally release what we are experiencing but there is so much healing power in praising God no matter what! King David was in constant battle! Saul wanted to kill him he had armies against him, but he commanded his soul to praise the Lord. It's not natural to want to praise God in hard circumstances. I honestly want to mope around and go eat McDonalds everyday but when I set out to refocus and praise God it changes everything when I do! Bethany Nicole is working on the condition of her heart and changing the soundtrack in her mind to align with God! Life is so precious, and I am here to give hope to the hopeless and tell you that today is the day of the Lord! He will heal your broken heart, give you comfort when you mourn, give you beauty for ashes, the garment of praise in exchange for heaviness. Do you feel heavy today? Praise God and feel that heaviness lift!!
As your Life Coach here are some other ideas on how to refocus:
Download the David soundtrack from Sight & Sound
Search for praise music and create a go to playlist
Dance it out
Exercise is so good for us!
Speak the word of God out loud
Get coffee with a friend (but no complaining)
talk about what is good in your life
Pay attention to your diet. Research foods that can increase anxiety
(Our diets matter I am learning this the older I get).
Purchase my gratitude journal and write out what you are thankful for and who you can encourage
Gratitude Journal Page — Bethany Goshorn, CPLC (flyingintofreedom.com)