I have recently been thinking about how our time on this earth is the only time in all of eternity that we get the chance to worship God and praise God through hardship, through pain (physical, emotional), through suffering, AND through joy, through blessings and prosperity. Because in Heaven, there will be no hardship, no pain, no suffering. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4-5)
What an opportunity it is to worship the Lord through everything we experience in this life. In every season, when we feel as if we are on the mountaintop or we feel like we are passing through the lowest of valleys, we get the chance and have the choice to worship. Even though we may experience highs and lows, God is constant. Nothing that happens in heaven or on earth dictates the worthiness, holiness, or character of God. That leaves us with a choice. We have the choice to only worship Him when we are on the mountaintop, or we can actively choose to worship Him through hardship, through pushback, and give Him the worship, praise, and honor due His name.
When Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, they prayed and worshiped God, despite their circumstances. And like Job, no matter what is thrown at me or against me, I will not curse the name of the Lord. I will bless the name of the Lord. To have a faith as strong as Job’s, one in which God was so confident that no matter what the enemy stole or destroyed of Job’s, he would not sin against the Lord or curse Him. Through the lowest valleys and darkest times, I will choose to worship the Lord. And on the mountain tops and the brightest of days, I will choose to worship the Lord. I will be a lover and worshipper of God in every season, and in every moment.
I came across a couple of songs recently, and I thought these lyrics were so beautiful.
YOU REMAIN | UPPERROOM
When I see Your face
I’ll wish I’d given more away
Don’t let me waste a trial
Don’t let me miss the chance to praise
Jesus, it’s an honor to cast down these crowns
What a privilege to lay my life down
Cause I know that all I have gained will fade
But You will remain
And these treasures that life seem to bring
They mean nothing if You’re not with me
Cause I know that all I have gained will fade
But You will remain
HIGHLANDS | HILLSONG UNITED
I will praise You on the mountain
I will praise You when the mountains in my way
You’re the summit where my feet are
I will praise You in the valleys all the same
No less God within the shadow
No less faithful when the night leads me astray
You’re the Heaven where my heart is
In the highlands and the heartache all the same
Lord, we don’t want to miss an opportunity to praise you because we were too focused on ourselves. In our lowest of lows, we turn to you as our hope and strength. And when we are on the mountain tops, we humbly look to you, knowing that you are our source and that every good thing comes from you. Let our lives be a sacrifice of praise to you because you are the only one worthy. You are more than enough. We love you! Amen.
