Reply To: Prayer Basics 2024/2025 Discussion Board 1

[omenogor.samuel]

Why It Is Important to Praise God for Your Answers Before You See Them
Praising God for the answers, even before we see them can seem like one of the most practically challenging disciplines one can imbibe, since it can feel emotionally dissonant or artificial (“it just looks stupid… jumping around… lifting up hands in praise to God, when all you want to do is curl up and cry”).
But it is important to praise God for the answers before we see them because praise demonstrates faith in God’s character, His Word, and His faithfulness rather than dependence on visible circumstances. When we praise God in advance, we acknowledge that He has heard us and that our confidence is not based only on what our eyes can see.
Firstly, in recognizing that God has already made all grace abound to us and has already given us all things in Christ, praising Him before we see the tangible manifestations of the things we have positionally in Him, helps strengthen our faith while we wait. During that period, it is easy to become discouraged, complain, doubt, or conclude that God has not heard me, but praise redirects my attention from the seeming delay to God’s ability and promise. Instead of allowing the present situation to control my thoughts and words, I choose to remember that God is dependable.
Secondly, praise is an expression of trust. Anyone can thank God after receiving a visible result, but praising Him beforehand shows that our confidence is rooted in who He is, not merely in what He does and can give us. It is similar to trusting a person whose character has already been proven. We may not yet see the healing, but we trust the healer, we may not see the provision, but we trust the provider and we choose to praise Him still because He is faithful. Our praise declares that God remains worthy even while we are waiting.
Thirdly, praising God in advance helps protect our confession. Words of fear and constant complaint can weaken our sensitivity and make us continually rehearse the problem. Deliberate praise gives us a practical way to redirect our thoughts and speech. Practically, putting on some praise music and intentionally changing what we say and think helps sustain a posture of praise even when it doesn’t come naturally in the moment. ⁠⁠ As we praise, we remind ourselves of God’s promises and create an atmosphere that encourages perseverance.
Therefore, we praise God before we see the answers because praise keeps our hearts anchored in God, strengthens our faith during the waiting season, guards our words from unbelief and complaint, and reminds us that God is trustworthy even when visible circumstances have not yet changed.