Not Everything We Face Can Be Changed........BUT.....

     Its been an interesting weekend.  I found myself Saturday night so heavy hearted that I text a couple girlfriends and asked them to pray.  It felt like depression trying to sneak up on me, yet I didn't understand the heaviness.  I felt it was an attack, because I know what those feel like, but it seemed out of the blue and made no sense.  My last thought I remember before falling asleep was the reminder of the verse that we do not fight against flesh and blood (Ephesians 16:2). I remember feeling, that "tired" feeling, where you begin to question your worth and why we are even fighting, is it worth it - complete lies of the enemy...I felt weary, not seeing clearly...but deep inside me is a fighter.  At some point I fell asleep.  When I woke my head was clear.  I had been in prayer much of the day yesterday for someone close to my heart, and also for my family. The heaviness from the night before now made sense.  It was a war raging...the enemy was mad, but I just felt something was on the horizon. I am, by Gods doing, a fierce protector, a fighter for those closest to me. I've been believing for break through for those closest to my heart. My weary heart is trying to hard to keep standing on it...but some days when you see those you love hurting, it's just flat out hard....but the fight is still in me.  
    Today, not scheduled for worship team this weekend, I stood in my seat at church this morning, watching my teammates use their God given talents for worship...something that absolutely blesses my soul.  They sang a song that we will also be singing in a couple weeks called Great Things.  I have been practicing my harmony, I know it well, but today it hit me....something different I picked up in the words after feeling such incredible heaviness the night before. 

"We dance in your freedom awake and alive, O Jesus our Savior your Name lifted High, you have done great things.  You've been faithful through every storm, You'll be faithful forever more, you have done great things. And I know you will do it again, for your promise is yes and amen, you will do great things, God you do great things...…."

As I sang those words it hit me.  I have prayed a TON.  I have begged God to move mountains, change and soften hearts and change situations for those I love.  As I stood with my hands held high in praise today, it hit me between the eyes....my praise needs to equal my prayer. Prayer is indeed important, God hears our prayers, yet He inhabits our praise.  Every time I feel heaviness, sadness, helplessness, when my heart aches for those I love...instead of praying now, I need to praise .  
When Paul and Silas were in the prison, they prayed, but it was when they praised...that is when the doors opened.  Where God dwells, His promises manifest.  When God shows up, things change. When God is present, the enemy flees and Gods word manifests right before our eyes...we see this time and time again in the Bible.

Have you taken time to praise God for your breakthrough?  Its tough...especially when you do not feel like it.  When things are heavy, when it feels like your are drowning or facing a wall or trying to dig yourself out of a pit. (preachin' at myself).  When life is confusing and blurry and you are desperately trying to focus.....praise.  To do this means we have to get over ourselves physically and mentally....look past the circumstances. The water threatening to drown us and tickling our nose hairs, threatening to take us under.....PRAISE.  It is flat out hard, but we have to make a choice to rejoice.
It makes no sense in human form to praise prior to seeing it manifest, but what hit me today is that He has NEVER failed, we have to praise despite the pain, despite the fact that we cant see.  We need to "dance in His freedom awake and alive, oh Jesus our Savior Your Name lifted High, you have done great things."  

The walls of Jericho came down with a praise.  As I stood with my family today praising God, I felt Him call us to more of it.  
That my praise should equal my prayers!!!

   Dr. Bob preached today and made a statement; "Not everything you face can be changed; but nothing can be changed until you face it."  That was confirmation to me...to do what I can do.  I can praise in the storm, despite the pain, the hurt...the worry.
When we were about to leave, the worship team sang another song and the bridge was a great reminder. 
"You who holds the stars, and call them each by name, will surely keep your promise to me, that I will rise in your victory".

He calls us by name...we are HIS.  Its a different perspective when we remember the God inhabits our praises and it is surely an atmosphere changer.  "Not everything we face can be changed, but nothing can be changed unless we face it"....lets also face it with our praise and see how God moves. As much as you pray....praise.
Blessings.