Feeling Down, Distressed or Discouraged? Praise is the Cure!

Living in this crazy world can cause you to feel down, distressed or discouraged. Thankfully, there is a cure for these feelings and the good news is you don’t need to see a doctor or take medication. The cure for these feelings is praise!

We are all looking for quick fixes in our lives. The sooner we can solve our problems, get answers and turn the page on our circumstances, the better. Today it’s easy to find ourselves in a rut, feeling down, distressed or discouraged with the world around us. The Bible gives us the cure to these feelings, it is an antidote of sorts. Today we will look at 1 Samuel 16:14-23 and find out how praise can help us when we’re feeling these negative feelings.

(To Read Scriptures You Can Speak Over Your Life, Click Here)

A Distressing Spirit Troubles Saul

In 1 Samuel 16:14-23 we read that a distressing spirit troubles Saul. The answer to removing Saul’s distressing spirit is found in verse 16 which says: “Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”

Further, in 1 Samuel 16:23 we read that “And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.”

The Bible contains the answers and solutions to all of our questions and problems; and feeling down, distressed or discouraged is no exception. Praise was the cure Saul needed to remove the distressing spirit, to feel better and it worked every time.

What is Praise?

In the Bible, praise refers to the way we express gratitude and honor to the Lord. Praise is an active and joyful way to celebrate God’s goodness and all that He does for us. Praise also is a way to say, “thank You, Lord, You are worthy and Your Name is holy.”

There are a few Hebrew words in the Old Testament that are translated “praise.” One of these Hebrew words is “yadah.” This word means to “praise, give thanks, or confess (the greatness of something).”  Another Hebrew word that is translated to the word “praise” is “zamar,” which means to “sing praise.” Finally, the third word that is translated “praise” is “halal” (the root of hallelujah). This word refers to “praise, honor or commend.” Each of these terms point to the idea of proclaiming thanks and giving honor to One who is deserving of such – the Lord God Almighty.

(Click Here to Read How to Live in the Light of the Lord)

Who Should Give Praise?

Psalm 150:6 declares that all living creatures praise the Lord: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!”  Why should we give praise?

Psalm 150:2 tells us: “Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!”

We should all give praise to the Lord. He is so good and so loving. In fact, it should just be second nature for all of us. In times where everything is going well and we feel good, praise is easy. However, it may be more difficult, but it is especially important to praise God during times of sadness and distress, when things are not going as we’d like them to go.

Reasons to Give Praise

There are many reasons to praise the Lord.

1. You’re thankful. God supplies our needs, surrounds us with loved ones and bestows blessings upon our lives.
2. You know that God is good. The Bible tells us that God is good and His mercy and goodness never ends. Psalm 100:5 says, “For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.”
3. You sense His presence or want more of His presence in your life. Praise brings us closer to the Lord, invites Him into our lives and keeps our focus on Him.
4. You acknowledge your redemption through Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord for sending His Son to die in your place – to redeem your life.
5. You know that God is in control. No matter what you face or what season you are in, God is always in control, and this is reason enough to offer Him your heartfelt praise.
6. Praise the Lord for everything He does for you. If you keep your eyes on Him, eventually you will see Him working everything out.

Praise Comes with Benefits

Don’t offer praise just to receive something from the Lord. Remember, God knows your heart. When you offer sincere praise, God knows that you truly mean it. There are benefits when we sincerely praise the Lord.

1. Offering praise enables us to turn from focusing on ourselves to focusing on the Lord. When our focus is on God, we begin to see Him and His work in every area of our lives. Life becomes sweeter when God becomes your priority. It’s true that when you offer praise to God you experience His presence more fully.
2. Offering praise leads to increased humility, trust, faith and dependence on the Lord.
3. Praising God opens our hearts to receive His Word and His power. This gives us the strength to face the down, distressing and discouraging times with a positive outlook.
4. When we praise the Lord consistently, our cares, pain, heartache, and grief take on a new purpose. We realize that God has a plan and purpose for all that we go through and that He is working it all out. A new sense of hope builds within us and all of the negative feelings are replaced with joy and excitement in waiting to see what God is doing in our lives.

Praise is a Form of Spiritual Warfare

Do you feel as if you are in a spiritual battle? Do these negative feelings continue to weigh you down? Feeling down, distressed or discouraged may be tools the enemy, Satan, is using against you. These feelings do not come from the Lord. Second Timothy 1:7 tells us: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Most of us probably wouldn’t consider that praise and spiritual warfare go together, but they certainly do. When Satan has come up against you, don’t forget to praise the Lord. This praise is not necessarily because of the attack you are receiving, but in order to push Satan away.

Praising God reminds the devil that he is inferior and that what he is doing will eventually be stopped; if he doesn’t stop on his own. The act of praising God is in direct opposition to Satan’s power and authority, so when we praise God, Satan becomes weak and will ultimately retreat.

We see the proof of this from the text above in 1 Samuel 16:23: “And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.” Our praise causes the devil to depart from us while at the same time we become, as the scripture says, “refreshed and well.”

(To Read About Protecting Yourself God’s Way, Click Here)

Final Thoughts

Praise is the cure to all of our negative feelings. Feeling down, distressed or discouraged can be remedied simply by acknowledging the Lord and all that He does in our lives every single day. The more you praise, especially in hard times, the more you see HIM and what He is doing.

I love the saying: “The awareness of God in everything will change the way you look at life.” Praise helps us to see God in every situation and circumstance. Start praising Him and looking for Him in everything and you will see that He has everything all worked out.

Blessings,

Amy

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Please feel free to share your insights, experiences or questions in the comments section at the bottom of the page.