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Praise Before Breakthrough
Spiritual Growth

Praise Before Breakthrough

January 17, 2022

It takes little effort to give God praise after He helps you. To thank Him after a problem is solved. To worship after the hard thing in life is in the rearview mirror. Yet, I have found that giving God praise before my breakthrough is even more meaningful and important, both in the moment and in the long run.

It isn’t easy. When times are hard or chaotic or overwhelming in my life, my natural instinct is not to lift my hands in worship or send up prayers of thanksgiving. I often tend to get swept up in the emotions, get stressed, and believe things will never get better. Sometimes things don’t get better right away; sometimes it takes days or months or years.

God is still worthy of praise. He is still faithful. He is still good. Even in the middle of the storm. Especially in the middle of the storm.

A Shift in Perspective

There are two songs that I heard for the first time several years ago that gave me a new perspective of praise and worship. They are “Praise Before My Breakthrough” by Brian and Katie Torwalt and “Raise a Hallelujah” by Jonathan David and Melissa Helser.

These songs showed me that worship is a way to fight the enemy, a very powerful weapon we have been given. It’s not something that we should do just when things are good or simple or happy. Worship is something we should do at all times in all circumstances. This includes seasons of drought and waiting, grief and anger. Seasons where the Lord seems quiet or far away. 

In those times, I have found I have to look back and see what the Lord has done in the past. I have to see where He has provided for me, rescued me, or simply comforted me while I cried. If I have a hard time seeing it in my own story, I look at how He is present in other people’s lives or ways He worked in the Bible. I read stories of the Israelites or David crying out in the Psalms or Jesus performing miracles time and time again. 

If He was faithful before, and I promise He was, He will be faithful again.

Psalm 27:13-14

The Power of Praise

Praising God is not just a way to thank Him. It is a way to declare trust in Him. Worship is a way to say God is bigger than whatever we’re dealing with, even if it doesn’t seem like it in that moment. It can provide words we aren’t able to come up with because the emotions are too overwhelming. It is the Holy Spirit speaking for us and through us.  

As we praise God, the situation may not change. Worship doesn’t take away our problems. But, worship can help heal our hearts, and it can help bring us closer to the Lord. Praising God takes our focus off the difficulties and puts our focus on God. It breaks fear’s grip on us. Over time, we start to feel different about the situation even if nothing has actually changed. The problem seems less big and stressful and scary, because God is bigger and stronger, and He is faithful. Heaven is at work in the midst of us praising God. 

A Promise

When our praise comes before the breakthrough, God’s peace guards us regardless of if we have any understanding or not, even if the problem has no immediate outcome or solution. I leave you with this promise in Psalm 27:13-14: “I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; let your heart be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord.” 

How can you worship the Lord right now, even if life is bleak or times are hard?

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Chelsea Bouknight

Chelsea Bouknight, or Chelsea Bee, is a Georgian who loves coffee, nature, and things that smell good! She has been blogging for years, but recently launched a new website for her blogs. Chelsea write about life lessons she's learning, mental health, hobbies, food and coffee. Be sure to check out her site and subscribe for updates!

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Welcome to Salt + Sparrow, a place where we learn about Jesus, the Bible, and find big faith in small things.

"The life I’m called to live is displayed in the "The life I’m called to live is displayed in the way Jesus lived his life. Living out my purpose means to do my best to love and serve others like Jesus did, and let God’s light shine through me so that He may be glorified."

@jenjabbour 

 #faith #momsoffaith #christianmoms #relationshipwithgod #christians #christianmother #christianliving #jesusalways #truth #faithinmotion #christianlifestyle #prayer #purpose
Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth #faithquotes #christ Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth 

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Every single person you meet was created by, and l Every single person you meet was created by, and loved by God. 

Even the ones who have hurt you. 

Next time you’re tempted to act out in anger, or envy, or hurt.. stop for a moment and think.. how would Jesus behave in this situation? 

Learning to respond to others for who they are rather than what they’ve done… or the emotion their actions have triggered in you, will bring you peace and freedom. 

💛
.
.
.
.
.
#faithblogger #christianblogger #christianwomen #christianlifestyle
I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: Developing Resilience and Faith When Giving Up Isn’t an Option, by Bianca Juarez Olthoff. And it couldn’t have come into my life at a better time.

I think we’ve all gone through times in our life when failure has threatened to keep us down. When getting back up after yet another fall feels seemingly impossible.

And I hate to break it to you, but we will all face failure at some point in our lives. Sometimes repeatedly. But the really amazing thing about failure is that it give us options:

We can either let failure destroy our confidence and our faith and keep us from living up to our full potential.

Or we call view failure as another chance.

Embracing failure is a concept that may be difficult to adopt at first, but when we can view failure as a learning opportunity and quickly get back up on our feet, we win. It’s also a chance to turn to God and say hey.. here’s my weakness. And it’s only through our weaknesses that we can turn to God and find His strength.

So.. are you going to change the way you view failure? Or are you going to let it hold you back?

@biancaolthoff 

I'll link a giveaway for this book in stories so go check it out there!

#gritdontquit #gritdontquitbook #bookstagram #grit #christianbooks
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"The life I’m called to live is displayed in the "The life I’m called to live is displayed in the way Jesus lived his life. Living out my purpose means to do my best to love and serve others like Jesus did, and let God’s light shine through me so that He may be glorified."

@jenjabbour 

 #faith #momsoffaith #christianmoms #relationshipwithgod #christians #christianmother #christianliving #jesusalways #truth #faithinmotion #christianlifestyle #prayer #purpose
Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth #faithquotes #christ Amen 🙏🏻 @hertrueworth 

#faithquotes #christianmoms #truth #blessed #relationshipwithgod #prayer #christianmomma #christianlifestyle #christianity #faithblogger #christianmother #faithinmotion #faithblog #christianliving #christians #momsoffaith #biblestudy #jesusalways #faith #bibleverse #pray
Every single person you meet was created by, and l Every single person you meet was created by, and loved by God. 

Even the ones who have hurt you. 

Next time you’re tempted to act out in anger, or envy, or hurt.. stop for a moment and think.. how would Jesus behave in this situation? 

Learning to respond to others for who they are rather than what they’ve done… or the emotion their actions have triggered in you, will bring you peace and freedom. 

💛
.
.
.
.
.
#faithblogger #christianblogger #christianwomen #christianlifestyle
I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: I was recently gifted the book, Grit Don’t Quit: Developing Resilience and Faith When Giving Up Isn’t an Option, by Bianca Juarez Olthoff. And it couldn’t have come into my life at a better time.

I think we’ve all gone through times in our life when failure has threatened to keep us down. When getting back up after yet another fall feels seemingly impossible.

And I hate to break it to you, but we will all face failure at some point in our lives. Sometimes repeatedly. But the really amazing thing about failure is that it give us options:

We can either let failure destroy our confidence and our faith and keep us from living up to our full potential.

Or we call view failure as another chance.

Embracing failure is a concept that may be difficult to adopt at first, but when we can view failure as a learning opportunity and quickly get back up on our feet, we win. It’s also a chance to turn to God and say hey.. here’s my weakness. And it’s only through our weaknesses that we can turn to God and find His strength.

So.. are you going to change the way you view failure? Or are you going to let it hold you back?

@biancaolthoff 

I'll link a giveaway for this book in stories so go check it out there!

#gritdontquit #gritdontquitbook #bookstagram #grit #christianbooks
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

"This verse isn’t promising that bad things won’t happen. It simply reminds us nothing can touch us when we live in Christ Jesus. We might experience loss and hardship, but our ultimate destination is heavenly perfection. 

So today, if you are living consumed with fear, practice surrender.

Take a deep breath and know that no matter what, you are loved and you will be ok.

God is Big Enough to hold our biggest hurts and make them beautiful." 

@mrsheidivegh 

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