Peaising God Through a Declaration of Faith

Becky Harling

Praising God through a declaration of faith

There are times, especially when fighting doubt, when it can be extremely helpful to praise God by declaring our faith out loud. One of the most basic declarations of faith is called the Apostles’ Creed. If you grew up worshipping in a liturgical church or are presently attending one, you will be familiar with the words. Many congregations recite this out loud as a part of their worship celebration. I believe the Apostles’ Creed can even play a role in our private worship. You can use it as a model to write your own declaration of faith, or you might want to use the creed itself as your declaration. Read the declaration out loud several times slowly, then listen to “Manifesto” performed by The City Harmonic. As you listen, allow the words of the creed to be the words of your heart as you declare your faith.

The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven & earth:

And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died, & was buried.

He descended into Hell.

On the third day He rose again from the dead.

He ascended into Heaven

& sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

from thence He will come to judge the living & the dead.

praising God through a declaration of faith

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Christian Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

& the life everlasting.

Amen.

Praising God when you are grieving or feeling depressed

Each of us will experience loss or pain at some point in our lives. During those times, it is normal to experience sadness & even depression. Praising God builds a shield around our hearts & minds so that we don’t sink into despair.

Several years ago I experienced many losses & felt overwhelmed & discouraged. During those months I made a commitment to continue my habit of praising God every morning. Some mornings while I listened to worship music, I knelt & cried. As I offered God my tears & my trust, some of my sadness was released & my faith was rekindled. Like Job, I was able to say, “The LORD gave & the LORD has taken away; may the Name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1:21). As I knelt in worship each morning, God’s presence came close & I felt comforted in my sorrow.

Here are some tips for praising God during times of grieving, sadness, or discouragement:

Look back. Praising God for how He’s been faithful in the past can give you hope that He will continue to be faithful in the present & in the future.

Let your tears flow. Praising God doesn’t always come from a happy heart. It’s okay & even good to allow yourself to cry during times of grief. Sometimes weeping is our worship.

Develop a set of “emergency verses.” During times of grief, it is comforting to praise God using Scripture that is familiar & special to you personally. Some of my favorites are Ps.34, Ps.46, Ps.91, & Jn.15.

Take a worship walk. Walking releases endorphins, & worship strengthens your faith. Combined, you’ll find your spirits lifted.

Keep a Thankful List. I learned this during a particularly rough season in my life. Each night before I went to bed, I recorded 3-5 things that had happened that day for which I felt thankful. After praising God for each one, I was able to fall asleep feeling encouraged.

Letter from the Author

Dear Friend,

I hope you have enjoyed the 30-day praise challenge, & that you’ll continue in your journey of praise. Praise never grows old or boring. I know, because I’ve now been praising God intentionally for over 12 years. My praise times have deepened & developed into the most precious times I experience with God. Praise renews & sustains me each day.

My prayer for you has been that you have experienced a spiritual revival in your soul & that you will continue to praise God every day. It’s possible that you’ve experienced not only changes in your attitude, but also freedom from addictive behaviors or destructive patterns of thought. There might even have been a couple of miracles along the way. If you feel comfortable sharing your experiences, I’d love to hear from you!

When we share our stories of life transformation, we encourage one another to continue praising God. You can contact me at www.beckyharling.com to learn more about my ministry & what God is doing in my life.