Praise and Worship

By Kristen Bourgeois

Recently, I came across Psalm 77 during my prayer time.  And I can relate to the psalmist.  Praying to God and not feeling heard.  Being distressed in prayer.  But then what? 

What do you do in prayer when you are weary?  As I continued reading on, the answer was right there.  The psalmist decides in his distress to recall the deeds of the Lord and ponder them.

How often have I been weary in prayer and decided to remember the good works of the Lord?  Or to just praise God for who he is? 

To be honest, not much.  I was unaware that this method of prayer was even a thing until the Holy Spirit prompted me through my prayer time during my morning commute. 

I was praying about a particular situation when I was inspired to praise God for who he is.  I pumped up the volume to some praise and worship music on the radio and just sung my heart out.  I was able to praise God for who he is and forget about what I thought I needed from the Lord.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) says that the prayer of praise is a mature form of prayer that lauds God for who he is and not just what we want from him (CCC 2639).  Praise breaks down barriers. Just ask the city of Jericho whose walls crumbled at the shouts of praise.

When I finally reached my destination and turned down the praise music in my car, I couldn’t even remember what worries first prompted my prayer. 

So, next time your troubles seem so big and difficult, maybe try and praise the Lord for a while and remember who the Lord is, and that nothing is too big or impossible for God.