Anchored and Refreshed: How Praise Shifts Our Perspective
Some days I feel like a boat drifting at sea, tossed about by to do lists, obligations, and issues. It is exhausting to feel adrift. Paddling hard to get nowhere is a frustrating place to be.
Sure, things like quiet moments with a cup of tea, hikes in the woods, or reading a good book bring temporary reprieve, but that refreshment quickly fades away. Creating ongoing change and refreshment isn’t about finding temporary distractions. What we need is a change in strategy in our spiritual practice. That change starts with praise.
Where Our Joy is Anchored
Recently, a severe windstorm knocked several trees to the ground on our acreage. They did not survive because their root systems were weak and shallow. Whether due to disease or immaturity, these roots were not properly anchored in the soil to keep the tree growing steadily upward.
Our spiritual lives can suffer similarly when we try to build our lives on an inadequate foundation.
The Apostle Paul gives us a beautiful picture of what it looks like to be spiritually anchored.
“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:6-7 NIV)
Just as a healthy tree continuously draws strength and nutrients from deep roots, being anchored in Christ requires consistent, daily nourishment from our Heavenly Father. Our hope for growth and blessings ahead is fueled by this ongoing connection with Him.
The writer of Hebrews affirms the steadfastness we have with the Lord:
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19a NIV)
Our stability strategy in Christ is an absolutely concrete foundation. No winds of despair or unrest will uproot us if we are anchored in our Lord.
This attitude shift brings refreshment as we grow and flourish with God’s Word anchoring our choices and actions.
A Refreshment Adjustment
Modern advertisements love to make us think that all we need to be refreshed is the right crisp, cold beverage. This is a temporal choice that has no lasting value for our deeper well-being. One glass of cola might give us a benefit for a moment, but it is not long until we reach for something more to satisfy us.
In contrast, what Christ offers us is deeply consistent and this is cause for great praise. Throughout Scripture, we have numerous examples of God reminding us that He is the source of true refreshment. Isaiah uses the beautiful imagery of growing things. He shares the promise that we will be like a well-watered garden that bursts forth with new life if we are anchored to our Lord.
A Life Characterized by Praise
Living a full, rich life in Christ brings out the natural reaction to praise our wondrous God for providing for us in so many ways. This natural outpouring of praise is modeled frequently in the Psalms.
“I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” (Psalm 9:1-2 NIV)
Praise is a natural outpouring of our faith in Christ’s saving work on the cross. No matter what happens in our daily life, we have the certainty of life in heaven with our Lord when we trust in His promises.
Choosing an attitude of praise benefits both our spiritual and physical health. An attitude of praise shows itself in our relationships and how we handle difficult situations. We can witness more with words of praise than in numerous empty actions.
Praise Shifts Our Focus
It is very difficult to genuinely praise someone and be angry with them at the same time. Similarly, it is challenging to be fearful when we are actively praising our loving God for His marvelous being and all He has done.
Praise takes us from intrinsic thoughts to looking outside ourselves. As we intentionally look for reasons to rejoice, praise changes our focus. Inevitably, it changes our lives.
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