How to form a prayer of praise

Praise is a curious and unique activity.
Flattery puffs you up. Thankfulness warms you up. But praise makes you look up.

Praise provides the groundwork for all prayers, whether requests for deliverance or confession of wrongful actions. Without praise, I all too easily look past God’s authority and grace, and I only see the answers I’m hoping I’ll get.

Without praise, my prayers are nothing more than “Honey-do” lists for the spiritual genie in the sky. Without praise, I lose perspective of whom I am and who God is, the Creator and Sustainer of Life. The Author and Finisher of my faith. The Great I AM. Think on that for a second. (I bet you will begin praising Him!)

Choose from this little checklist for suggestions on how to praise God:

• Describe God’s character
• Affirm God’s intentions toward you
• Express your love for God
• Count the blessings God is already providing for you
• Remember God’s past faithfulness
• Express your faith in God, regardless of present circumstances
• Affirm your allegiance to God
• Promise to obey God, even when life gets hard
• Anticipate God fulfilling your destiny and your dreams
• Reiterate God’s love for you