February 21, Praise Party

Today’s reading: Psalms 101-105

“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” - Psalm 103:2-5.

In this psalm, David once again engaged in something called self-talk: he conversed with himself to keep his soul encouraged and focused. He was not giving himself a pep talk, but rather having a conversation outlining all God’s goodness toward David. Here is a list of all the things that God had done for David; forgiven, healed, redeemed, crowned, satisfied, and renewed. David then ordered his soul to praise the Lord in response to God’s many blessings. How many of those things has God also done for you? Do you praise Him for His benefits, or are you bogged down in your circumstances that are less than ideal? Remember what Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6 and then overcome your anxiety with a praise party every day: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”