Praise God for Answered Prayer!
Take today’s next step: Why Doesn’t God Answer my Prayer?
“I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart” Psalm 9:1
Praise should always follow answered prayer, just like the mist of earth’s gratitude rises when the sun of heaven’s love warms the ground. Has the Lord been gracious to you, and heard your voice as your earnestly pray? Then praise Him as long as you live! Don’t deny a song to Him who has answered your prayer and given you the desire of your heart.
To be silent over God’s mercies is to incur the guilt of ingratitude. It is to act as ungratefully as the nine lepers. After they were cured of their leprosy, they did not even bother to return to give thanks to the Lord who healed them. (Luke 17:11-19)
To forget to praise God is to refuse to benefit ourselves. Praise, like prayer, is one great means of growing our spiritual life. It helps to remove our burdens, to excite our hope, and to increase our faith. It is a healthy and invigorating exercise which quickens the pulse of the believer, and nerves us for fresh enterprises in our Master’s service.
To bless God for His mercy is also a way to benefit our fellow brothers and sisters: “My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.” (Psalm 34:2) Others who have been in similar circumstances will take comfort if we say, “Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalm 34:3-4) Weak hearts will be strengthened, and weak souls will be revived as they listen to our “songs of deliverance.” Their doubts and fears will be assuaged, as we teach and encourage one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Then they too will “sing in the ways of the Lord” when they hear us praising His holy name.
Praise is the most heavenly of Christian duties. The angels do not pray, but they never cease to praise both day and night. And we the redeemed, clothed in white robes, with palm-branches in our hands, should never grow tired of singing the new song, “Worthy is the Lamb.”
Question: Has your prayer been answered lately? Please share it with us, or a story about how God has answered your prayer in the past.
Originally written by Charles H. Spurgeon, published in “Mornings & Evenings,” entry for October 30th, AM. Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2008. Used with permission.
After my morning prayer, I opened your message. I am 59 years old.
This morning I again praised God for my good health, family, and a few other blessings that I know God has his hand in.
After starting a business in 2000, I found it difficult to be responsible for filing my tax returns for 2002-2005. 2006 to present I was able to file as required and make a profit in my business.I guess I let Uncle Sam finance my early business years before being profitable. 2010, before my accountant could get totals for thoses tax years, a lien was place on my name.I have daily worried about it for 2 years.I have thought so many times about “forgive me of my debts” and how they distract us from God.
Through prayer over the last 2 years, I have been comforted by God and blessed with a growing business. Last week, I received just $1,000 more than my tax liability , which was big,in an unexpected bonus.
I know this is the work of God. His discipline,comfort,teaching and yes Blessing has brought me through this.
This morning,I prayed as usual. Before reading your lession,I said “oh yea God, Thank You Again for answering my prayer”. I have thanked him every day for aweek now. I just want to hug his neck! Then I read today’s devotional. You were speaking to me.
Thanks for this message.It hit next to home. You can use this in any way to glorify God.
William Miller