“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.” Hebrews 13: 15

Life in this world isn’t always what we want it to be. It flows, ebbs, bobs and weaves. Sometimes it’s rosy; sometimes gloomy. When all is well, we feel as though on a mountain top. There, we find it easy to praise God.

However, when situations are sometimes against us, we feel as though we’ve fallen into a valley. It’s during those times that we often perceive God as being distant. Life has thrown us a curve, and we block God’s faithfulness from our minds. We don’t feel blessed. Instead, we feel alone and forgotten. Praising God doesn’t seem a relevant thing to do because it’s hard to be complimentary when we don’t feel benefited.

But that’s the point of Hebrews 13: 15. Receiving what we expect for ourselves or others shouldn’t be the only motive for praising God. It shouldn’t be that we extol and laud His virtues only when we can see a blessing. Praising God isn’t only for the good times. Praising Him is meant to be continual, even during the bad times.

In its way, Hebrews 13: 15 points out our natural tendency to be self-absorbed during difficult times. That’s why it offers the remedy to help us rise above those circumstances.

Sacrifice, the scriptural passage says. Let there be a cost. That’s what sacrifice means. We must choose to turn ourselves over to Jesus for help. That’s what Romans 12: 1 implores us to do. It says to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. We can do that by not holding on to the dear things of the flesh that are comforting to us while in the valley: doubts, misgivings, a lack of understanding, self-pity, and an independent spirit.

The sacrifice of praise puts on the altar a broken and contrite heart; a heart that humbly and verbally acknowledges that God is worthy and faithful; and that He can be trusted to work out all things, in all situations, for our eternal good.