Breakfast Time: Praising God in the Storm

by Hillary Mortensen

Good morning, and thank you for joining us as we unite in prayer and fasting for the healing of Adam Root.

I don’t know your exact situation today, and I don’t know your specific motivation for following this blog, but I do share in the human experience with you, and I am thus familiar with some of what you may be thinking or experiencing today.

• You may be approaching this day with expectant hope, eager to see what God has in store. Or, you may be wondering what this is all about and whether it’s even worth it to set aside your day for prayer and self-sacrifice through fasting.
• You may be in a good mood today, ready to face what may come. Like me, you may feel like you wish you could fall back asleep and not wake up for a long time. Perhaps sleeping sounds easier than facing all of your obligations and heartache today.
• You may feel certain that Adam’s unexplainable recovery is a miracle waiting to happen, or you may doubt that such a miracle is possible, barely hanging onto a tiny thread of hope.
• You may be experiencing a season of blessing in which you know that you are receiving gift after gift from above. Everything you touch seems to turn to gold. For others, however, this may be a season of drought. You struggle to make ends meet or even have anything go the way you might hope. You wonder when something, anything, will go your way.

I may not know which side of the continuum you find yourself on today, but of this we can be certain: We have an unchanging, unfailing God, the Creator of the universe, who loves us beyond our comprehension.

Watch the short video below, and as you do, reflect on how BIG God is:



WOW, right?

Regardless of your circumstances today, dwell on that which we know to be true (even if it’s difficult or impossible based on how you’re feeling). God, the amazing Creator of our unfathomable universe is also characterized by the following:

God is love.

Nehemiah 9:17b
“…But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love.”

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Psalm 36:5
“Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”

God is just.

Deuteronomy 32:4
“He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong; upright and just is He.”

Isaiah 30:18
“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!”

Romans 3:25-26
“God presented Him [Jesus] as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished – He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time. So as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

God is a God of truth.

Psalm 33:4
“For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does.”

John 14:6
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ “

God is good.

2 Chronicles 5:13b
“…they raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: ‘He is good; His love endures forever.’”

Psalm 34:8
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”

Matthew 19:17b
“… ‘There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”

God desires to be in personal relationship with us, in spite of ourselves.

John 17:3
“Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”

Romans 5:8
“But God demonstrates His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

God deserves our worship and praise.

Psalm 33:1 & 3
“Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him….Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.”

Psalm 92: 1 & 2
“It is good to praise the Lord and make music to Your name, O Most High, to proclaim Your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night….”

Psalm 150:1-2,6
“Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness…Let everything that Has breath praise the Lord.”

Right now and as you go about your day today, whatever your circumstances and whatever your mood, praise God for who He is. If you need some suggestions, try these:

• Praise God for His love that means He has Adam’s and your best interest in mind and desires to be in relationship with us.
• Praise God for His power and beauty as displayed in creation.
• Praise God for His justice. When we may seek “fairness” and not like when things are seem unfair or undeserved, understand that God is truly just.
• Praise God for His truth and ask that you think on His truths and not the lies of the devil, also known as the father of lies, who may be filling your mind with thoughts that lead to fear, doubt, or confusion.
• Praise God for His goodness and His ability and desire to give good gifts to His children.

While it may be difficult to voice your praises in the midst of tragedy, discouragement, or hopelessness, do it because God is worthy of all praise. Be honest; tell Him how difficult it may be to praise Him, but don’t neglect to do it. For further inspiration, listen to this song and make it your prayer. As the song declares, “I will praise you in the storm.”