"I'm Sad." What? Give thanks?

"How can anyone in hardship find praise in God? Yes they can."

Life is not (supposed to be) all smooth sailing. I'm going to propose that in times of adversity, our praise and worship of God can be our lifeline for God to work through with us.

Often, we get into situations, whether wanted or not that goes against what we wish for. Illnesses, the lost of a loved one, failures... these are all part and parcel of life. The big question is, however, what is your "defense mechanism" when you face adversity?

"It's okay to feel NOT okay."

However, if we allow the negative emotions to eat us up from inside out, we could end up really in a bad rut. We could lose motivation for activities in our daily life. Find no meaning in the things we are doing. And just not happy and feel sad all the time.

As a Christian, I'm inclined to quote multiple verses to hurl at someone else facing hardships. The difference is when you are at the receiving end. Do you feel alone and that no one can help? Often we miss the point of quoting scripture references thinking they alone can solve someone's problem. An honest answer is that they do not... well, not immediately.

"The crux for someone who feels they are in a rut is to understand and KNOW that there is a God behind those verses."

Our faith in God takes a two fold as the Bible describes "one can only worship in spirit and in truth."

Truth, often mean our perception of things around us, how we make sense of them. However, it is more than that because some "Truths" are truths whether we believe them or not. We may not believe the world is round, but it is. You may not believe there is a God, but He does not cease to exist because one doesn't believe.

Spirit or Soul, simply refers to the WHOLE of our being. In the Book of Genesis, it was said that Adam came to life when God blew his breathe into Adam, and in turn gave us life. It stands for everything that lives, inside of us.

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However, without faith, we cannot come before God, much less rely on His Word for our daily living. That is essentially why Praising and giving thanks to God is so important and central to faith. Knowing about God is not the same as hearing about what He did, and see what he says. But knowing Him personally in our daily walk.

We can know about God, but it doesn't mean we may know God.
Many faith Giants of the past have praised God in adversity.

David and Goliath: Are worries a Giant in your life now?

King David (most famous for slaying the giant Goliath), pursued countless times by enemies, and on one occasion even by his own son Absalom in revolt is a faith giant who praises God in adversity. In times where one would find and seek help from others, or rely on themselves, King David wrote many psalms of "pleas" and "praises" to God. David was hardly a perfect man in his life, but God described him as "a man after God's own heart"

An even more appalling account comes from the Book of Daniel 6, where it records officials plotting to kill the Prophet Daniel (Daniel and Lions' den). The next mind blowing thing Daniel did, was to give thanks to God. For what? for people plotting to kill him? I think not (Daniel 6:10)

Daniel: thrown into Lions den. Tough situation? you bet.

"How can anyone in hardship find praise in God? Yes they can."

It comes from knowing, with all his being that God is the author of his life and holds the future. And here lies a model we can follow in knowing this God who can be our saviour of our situations, and our very souls. The God who can turn your Goliath situation, and your Lions den situations.

Psychologically, praising God and finding reasons to give thanks to God does the following:
1) It lifts our fixated eyes from our problems to God, who is the Creator and Author of the Universe
2) Cuts a downward spiral of negative emotions to be appreciative of other things we can be content with
3) It helps us to rise above our situations and be the master of our emotions.

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As an exercise (yes! our spiritual muscles need flexing too to become strong), I'm going to give praise to God for the things I'm thankful in my life right now.

1) For being Born in Singapore, a privilege and blessing to be born, raised and educated.
2) For the chance to meet and know Christ almost 6 years ago
3) For the chance to enter University and graduate with a degree
4) For my parents and family who are always supporting me in their ways

There's actually alot we can give thanks for... for every one thing we feel down, let's thing about 3 things to give thanks to God for. Let's exchange our worries for thanksgiving :)

Matthew 11:28-30
New International Version (NIV)

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”