One of my favorite Psalms is Psalm 103. As I spent time meditating on this beautiful masterpiece this past week, I realized again what a great pattern of praise these words provide. Why don’t you open your Bible and take a look with me? David’s words ring out with exuberant joy!

“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all of His benefits.”

David then goes on to list some very specific reasons to praise God. 

5 Reasons to Praise God

He forgives all your sins. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been listening to the app Lectio 365. I especially like the evening devotions as I prepare for bed. One of the components of the evening prayer is to think back over your day and confess any wrongdoing or times when you didn’t love well. We have a God who compassionately forgives us over and over again. We don’t have to hide. We can bring Him the mess of our day and receive His grace and mercy with open hands. How have you personally experienced God’s forgiveness? Write a prayer of praise, thanking Him for His grace and forgiveness in your life.

He heals all your diseases. Whenever I read these words, I am reminded that God healed me from cancer 22 years ago. The words found in Psalm 103 are a reminder to continue praising Him for His healing power. I have friends who are presently battling cancer or they know others who are battling cancer. Others are battling illnesses like arthritis, chronic fatigue, or diabetes. Some have battled COVID.  Have you struggled with any illnesses over the past year? Has God healed? Or, has He sustained you to live beyond your illness? How has He met you on your sick bed? 

He redeems your life from the pit. Whenever I read these words, I am reminded of a time in my life when I was in the pit; the pit of anxiety, fear, and shame. God, in His mercy, met me there. He showed me exactly how to get out of that pit and live like the beloved daughter He had called me to be. Think back. Have you ever been in the pit? Maybe for you, it was the pit of despair, the pit of resentment, or the pit of poverty. How has God redeemed your life from the pit?

He crowns you with love and compassion. My little granddaughters love crowns. When they wear a crown, they feel like princesses. You are as special to God as a prince or princess, and He loves to shower love and compassion on you. As I think about how compassionate God is, I remember all the ways I have felt His tenderness in my life. Times where he showered unexpected blessings. Times when He offered grace for my shortcomings. Times when He allowed me to experience His love in deeper ways. As you think about the compassion of God, what special unexpected blessings has God poured out on your life? In what ways have you experienced His love? 

He satisfies your desires with good things. All of us have dreams and desires. Many of these were actually planted in our hearts by God. What dreams or desires has God placed in your heart? How will you pursue those dreams? Is it possible you’ve given up on them, believing that they are too big or too risky to pursue? Ask God to give you the courage to fulfill His purposes in your life. Praise Him for the dreams He has granted and praise Him in advance for the dreams and desires He will fulfill in the future.

Friend, the truth is, eternity won’t be long enough to praise God for all His goodness in our lives. As you head into this new week, seek to stop and pause throughout your day to praise God for who He is and what He’s done in your life. My guess is you’ll have a more contented and joy-filled week.

This week on The Connected Mom Podcast we’re talking about listening. Join the conversation by tuning in on Apple podcasts or Spotify podcasts.