Hard-Fought Hallelujahs: Finding Praise in Every Season
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!”
Praise the Lord!
I grew up hearing this phrase a lot. It was common in the church I grew up in for someone to say this when someone shared good news, or there was a powerful moment in worship. I still hear it regularly among brothers and sisters in Christ. When we share stories of God moving powerfully by answering prayers or stirring souls in worship, some disciples are quick to affirm it and express their joy with "praise the lord." In the original Hebrew, "Praise the Lord" reads, "Hallelu Yah." We still use this term in this form, with people also regularly shouting 'Hallelujah' as an expression of praise.
This summer, we're embarking on a sermon series called Hard Fought Hallelujahs. Many of you have heard the song of the same name by Brandon Lake. The popular version of the song also features the famous country music singer Jelly Roll.
Why are we sharing our Hard Fought Hallelujahs? The Bible teaches us to encourage one another. Members of our church family will share stories of how God has been at work in their lives. Hearing their stories of how God has worked in their lives can encourage us as we wait to see how God might address a circumstance we're experiencing. It also gives us new reasons to praise God for the mercy, love, and power shown in these instances.
Every hallelujah isn't hard-fought, but clearly, some are. The song captures this well. The lyrics say,
I don't always feel it
Yeah, but that's when I need it the most
So I'm a keep on singing
'Til my soul catches up with my song.
Has your soul ever needed to catch up to a song in worship or on the radio? We all face times when it's hard to praise God. Maybe we're tired. We may be facing a problem or situation. Perhaps we're feeling unworthy of all the good things God is doing in our lives. Any of these can make it hard to bring a genuine hallelujah from our hearts.
Whether we're in a moment where we need encouragement, or we're in a moment where we are full of praise, let's raise our hallelujahs this summer. Whether it comes easily or is hard-fought, God is worthy to be praised! As the song says:
God, You've been patient
God, You've been gracious,
faithful, whatever I'm feeling or facing
So, I'll bring my hard-fought, heartfelt, it-is-well hallelujah!
Praise the Lord!
Pastor Scott
