Anybody out there love some watermelon, say YEAH. Haha, what a hook. But really I do, my roommates and I went through a phase where we would literally eat an entire watermelon every day. I think that qualifies as love. But the thing about watermelon is that they are only good in the summer… you can’t buy a good one out of season. Different fruits grow better at different times of the year. Nobody gets to pick the season or the fruit. I was planning to write about how God used a certain relationship to change my heart. How He worked a not good situation to bring forth a good change in me. And He did, He absolutely did! God has changed everything about who I am, and it is a story I love to tell, but it’s just not the story I want to tell today. I want to talk about the aftermath of the heart change; the unexpected fruit yielded from that specific season in my life… Praise.

I was in a season where I thought the fruit would be a new dating relationship, but the fruit was actually a new praising relationship. I know you must be wondering how a failed attempt at a dating relationship could result in praise. It’s easy to praise when it seems like you’re getting everything you want. It’s even easy to praise when you want something really bad. But to praise when you don’t understand, when your heart hurts, when you were seeking God and it still didn’t work out… that’s when it’s not so easy anymore.

For me, it went from really easy to really not, really fast. As I was praying about how I could write about a situation while still honoring the people involved in the situation, the Holy Spirit simply told me to look for Him. To see how He used it. This is what He showed me… If my praise is ever dependent on my feelings, my thoughts, or my circumstances then it’s not praise. 

Praise is a response to God’s goodness.

God is wise and powerful! Praise Him forever and ever. (Daniel 2:20)

Sing to the LORD! Praise the LORD! He rescues the oppressed from the power of evil people. (Jeremiah 20:13)

Let us praise God for his glorious grace, for the free gift he gave us in his dear Son! (Ephesians 1:6)

Praise him – he is your God, and you have seen with your own eyes the great and astounding things that he has done for you. (Deuteronomy 10:21)

Praise the LORD who has given his people peace, as he promised he would. (1 Kings 8:56)

Peter said, “I don’t have a nickel to my name, but what I do have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk!” He grabbed him by the right hand and pulled him up. In an instant his feet and ankles became firm. He jumped to his feet and walked. The man went into the Temple with them, walking back and forth, dancing and praising God. (Acts 3:6-9)

Who God is, ignites worship.

We have so much to praise God for!!

We should never stop praising God, because God never stops being good!

Praise fixes our eyes on Him. That’s why when we praise God, strongholds break. That’s why praise really does proceed the miracle.  Praise brings breakthrough because it isn’t about our need, IT’S ABOUT OUR PROVIDER!

I’m not saying don’t praise God when you need something. Of course, DO! I’m just saying don’t praise God because you need something. Praise Him because He is still good while you’re waiting.

Because He is good when it comes to pass. And because He is good even if it never does.

Praise God when you get the job, praise God when you don’t.

Praise God in the dream home, praise God in the one-room apartment.

Praise God when you find your husband, praise God when you’re heartbroken.

Praise God when your mom beats cancer. Praise God when your parents die.

Praise God when it’s easy, and praise God when it’s not.

Praise God in every season.

I was listening to a Bill Johnson sermon and his words got me. He explained how there is no pain in heaven, so this side of forever is our only opportunity to get to praise God when it hurts! What an honor!

God is so into the details of our lives. He knows what we need, and He knows what we want. He always loves to hear from us. He loves you. He loves you. He loves you.  He is a good Dad, who wants to bless his kids beyond measure. So whether you’re in a season that feels so clear or you honestly don’t know how you’re going to ever be okay again, know that God is working it for good. When you don’t understand, when it doesn’t look like you wanted it to, and when it really really hurts, rest in the fact that God is good, and God is God. Praise Him.

He is producing good fruit in this season.

The fruit I thought I wanted was a relationship, but the fruit God knew I needed was praise.

I am so thankful God doesn’t give me everything I ask for because sometimes what I ask for is wrong for me. I sit on the other side of a not so easy season with the fruit of praise in my life. I didn’t pick my season, I didn’t pick my fruit… God did. He knows what I need more than I do.

I’m so thankful for that season, and I’m thankful I get to tell y’all about it… because we all know the best thing about fruit is that you get to share it.