Jesus encourages us to give all our cares and concerns to Him and expressively says for us not to worry. But there are some real keys in His word on how to actually live that out.
Some keys I have discovered are found in Psalm 34. It says, “I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. On magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together. Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
Here are some thoughts of how to follow and apply the advice of Psalm 34 everyday:
1.Give thanks – When we consciously choose to bless God and thank him with our mouths our thoughts and emotions shift from anxiety and concern to focusing on what God has done for us.
2. Find 10 good things – I try to encourage myself to find ten good things to be thankful for. It’s really important to recognise these things and not just disregard them simply because we are having a bad day. If we waited until everything was perfect we would never be thankful and would miss a lot of what God has given us and is doing right under our noses.
The bible says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
3. Praise silences the devil – Praise is a powerful weapon in our arsenal against evil. It’s how we resist the devil and any attack formed against us. The bible actually says it silences our enemy, shifts our perspective and reminds us of how big God is to handle every anxious thought and situation we may be facing.
I’ve also discovered that praise is an on-ramp into heavenly places and God’s presence for, “We enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” (Psalm 100:4)
“From the lips of babes and infants you have ordained praise, because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.” (Psalm 8:2)
3. Keep your tongue from evil, and pursue peace – When I find myself slipping into thinking negatively I try to make an effort to switch my focus and start thanking God again. I know it’s a lot easier to seek after and pursue peace when I’m not grumbling.
“So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault.” (Romans 14:19 Message Bible)
“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” (Ephesians 4:29)
Give the wisdom of Psalm 34 a try today, and be set free from anxiety, negativity and saying things that would probably be better left unsaid. Make it your aim today to be thankful, to praise God out loud, and to look for ways to do good and seek peace.
Prayer: Lord thank you that the things you encourage us to do are for our own good, and to help me to walk in joy and freedom. Let praise be continually in my mouth today, and that I would choose to be thankful instead of focusing on the negatives. In Jesus Name Amen.
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