Have you ever seen God make something from nothing? I have. We know He made the world just by speaking, and sometimes He speaks some pretty amazing things into our lives too. In my experience, these things often start with praise first.

In II Chronicles 20, there’s an account of King Jehoshaphat and the nation of Judah being under threat from an invading nation. He cries out to the Lord, and he receives a message: Go against the enemy, but don’t be afraid, because God’s got this. “…The battle is not yours, but God’s” (verse 15). Jehoshaphat believes, and the next morning when they’re ready to go fight, he chooses to put his singers on the front lines, preceding the soldiers. As the singers are praising God, the Lord causes mass confusion in the enemy’s camp, and Judah arrives on the scene to find that they need not fight at all because the enemy has wiped themselves out.

Praise made a mighty victory possible. It can do the same for us.

To worship the Lord means to reverence and adore Him. Praise lifts our heart to Him and acknowledges who He is, which in turn helps us keep a proper perspective of who we are. He is the Mighty One who has promised He will not withhold good things from His children (Psalm 84:11). He knows what we need and is able to provide it.

Recently I was worn down and exhausted, and I overheard some friends talking about a blessing they had each received. The blessing sounded wonderful and restorative, and I was a little sad it was not coming my way. It was something that due to life circumstances I could not make happen for myself. It was impossible.

There was no way.

I did not want to get jealous or drown in self-pity, so I stopped what I was doing and prayed. I thanked the Lord for this blessing in the lives of my friends, and acknowledged that it would be a good thing for them. I then thanked Him that He had provided everything I needed for my own rest and refreshment. I expressed my trust in Him to carry me through.

My heart immediately felt lighter, and I went on about my day. God was in control, and He had me in His hand.

A few hours later, someone came up to me and gave me a very similar blessing to the ones my friends had received. The impossible—which was still impossible from my own resources!—had become possible. Something had come from nothing. An unexpected ray of hope that I had not seen coming.

I know that though this blessing comes from the hand of another, it truly comes from God. He prompted this individual to bless me in this way. They didn’t know the things I was thinking about or praying for. Jesus was the only one who knew.

Do I praise the Lord in order to receive blessings from Him? No. Lifting my heart isn’t an act of manipulation to get what I want from Him. When I acknowledge who He is, my focus is on His goodness, His grace, His love. If He is all I have, then I have everything I need. I fully meant my prayer of trust that He had my refreshment in store.

But sometimes He gives us a little extra when our hearts are in the right place.

And sometimes even when they’re not, because He’s a good Father who is plenteous in mercy and grace.

The next time you’re feeling a lack, remember that He really is capable of creating something from nothing. One moment it’s impossible, and the next He has made a way. This isn’t the only example from my own life where He has shown up like this.

Your something from nothing might not be tangible but might be what I thought I was going to receive: more grace for the challenges of the day. His provision never fails, whether the blessing He gives is one you can hold in your hand or one you hold in your spirit.

He is good.

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay