The Many Ways We Praise

There are many ways to express what is in our hearts. Some people sing, some dance, some lift their hands, and some wave a flag. Others play an instrument, write, paint, create, or put words on a page. Praise can also be expressed through serving, encouraging, or simply choosing to live with gratitude.

Praise can look different from person to person.

For followers of Jesus, praise is more than a song we sing or something we do during a church service. It is a response to who God is and what He has done. It is choosing to recognize Him, honor Him, thank Him, and give Him the place He deserves in our lives.

Psalm 103:2 says:

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

Remember.

That is where praise begins.

A Word to Remember

Last year, I shared a word that I believe the Lord gave me for the church I attend. The message was a call to stop treating praise as something reserved for a particular place or moment and instead carry it into our everyday lives.

The word was:

“I am the Lord your God, I deserve your honor and praise. I stand and wait continually for you to surrender and praise me. Give me your worship. I wait for the sweet aroma, not just in this place but through your daily walk. Day and night I wait for you to come to me and give me the praise and honor I deserve. My children, I am waiting, if you just come to me and open your hearts in praise.”

The words have stayed with me because they point to something simple: God desires our hearts, not just our songs.

Praise isn't meant to begin and end when a church service does. It can become part of the way we live.

What Does Praise Look Like?

Praise doesn't have one appearance. For one person, it may be expressed through music or movement. For another, it may come through creativity, prayer, serving, or simply stopping in the middle of an ordinary day to thank Jesus.

There is no single expression that makes praise more meaningful than another. What matters is the heart behind it.

Praise is not a performance for other people. It is an expression directed toward God. We may express it differently, but the One we are praising remains the same.

Praise in the Ordinary

If praise only belongs inside a church building, we miss so much of what worship can become. We can praise Jesus while driving to work, making dinner, caring for our families, creating something with our hands, walking outside, or going through a difficult season.

We can praise Him when life feels full and when it feels uncertain. Even in seasons when we don't feel like singing, we can choose gratitude. We can remember what God has done and turn our attention toward Him.

Sometimes praise is loud. Sometimes it is quiet. Sometimes it looks like celebration. Sometimes it looks like surrender.

Sometimes the praise is simply, “Jesus, I still trust You.”

An Open Heart

You do not have to know all the right words to come before God. You don't have to have a perfect voice or a particular talent.

Praise begins with a willing heart.

It is an invitation to turn our attention away from ourselves and toward the One we believe is worthy of our honor.

And perhaps that is why the message I received last year continues to stay with me:

“My children, I am waiting, if you just come to me and open your hearts in praise.”

There is something beautiful about that invitation.

Not pressure. Not performance. Just an invitation to come.

A Life of Praise

Autumn has a way of reminding us that change can be beautiful. Leaves let go. The landscape changes. One season gives way to another.

Perhaps we can learn something from that.

Praise can be an act of letting go, too. Letting go of control. Letting go of pride. Letting go of the need to have everything figured out. Opening our hands and our hearts to Jesus and trusting Him with what comes next.

Praise doesn't have to look the same to come from the same heart of worship.

So wherever you are, and whatever season you are in, remember what He has done. Remember who He is. And find your own way to praise Him—not only in a church service or in a particular season, but throughout your daily walk.

Because praise was never meant to be confined to a song.

It is a life turned toward Jesus.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”
— Psalm 103:2