Psalm 34:1 (NIV)
“I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.”

Recently, I’ve noticed a trend in myself, not only in the way I talk, but also in the way I write.

I’ll say something like, “God is providing enough for me to live off of…” and then tag on, “…but it’s right up to the line and not very much.”

Or I’ll say, “I’ve already lost so much weight and I’m getting stronger…” and then add, “…but I’m nowhere near where I want to be, and I still feel so large.”

Do you see the pattern? I start with a declaration of God’s goodness, but then I quickly tack on my own fears, doubts, or insecurities. I do it in conversations. I do it in my writing. And honestly, I’ve been doing it in my book too.

If I look closely, what I’m really doing is diluting my praise. Instead of letting gratitude stand on its own, I weigh it down with my worries.

Maybe you’ve felt the same way. Like you can’t just give a praise report. Like it’s not enough to simply say, “God is good.” Maybe you feel unworthy of leaving it at that. Or maybe, like me, you feel like if you don’t tag on the negative, you’ll “jinx” the good thing somehow.

Whatever the reason, I’ve decided to challenge myself.

When I speak of God’s provision, I want my statement to finish with His praise, not my fear. My insecurities don’t need to ride along on the back of my gratitude. They don’t need to tag on to the end of my testimony.

So here’s the challenge I pose to you as well:
When you talk about what God has done, let your sentence end with His goodness. Period.

God’s praise is worthy of standing alone.

Prayer

Lord, forgive me for the times I have let my fears overshadow Your goodness. Teach me to speak boldly of what You are doing without tagging on my doubts. Let my words reflect trust and gratitude, and let my praise end with Your name. Amen.