That statement intrigued me when I read it and I stopped to think about it. It seemed to be a simple question with a obvious answer. However, when I paused to give it more consideration, I realized my quick answer was either wrong or only partially right. My first thought was, thanksgiving or thankfulness. Of course, I was thinking spiritually! When I am thanking God, I am praising Him, right? What if I were praising another person? Is it the same as thanking that person? Probably not.
To praise someone is to extol that person's virtues. That said, I realized that if I am going to offer my praise to God, it will include extoling His virtues. (Of course, that should include my thanksgiving for Him--who He is and what He does.)
If the above statement is true, "Praise is the key that releases God's character back into even the ugliest of attitudes and darkest of situations." , then it will be the acknowledgement of God's virtuous, perfect character that allows Him to take control of even the worst of circumstances, and enables me to yield myself to His control in any situation.
This morning, in my "quiet time" with God, in my regularly scheduled Bible reading, I read Psalm 36 and came upon a perfect example of praising God. King David of old said to God:
"Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your rivers of delight. For You are the fountain of life, the light by which we see."
Psalm 36:59 New International Translation)
