Power in Praise!

During the Friday night service while I was at a youth convention I saw a young boy who looked like his world had fallen apart. He is 12 years old. He wasn't from my church but I know him from kid's camp. When I asked him what was wrong he told me he had just received word that his grandmother had died. He was very close to his grandmother. So, here he was in Syracuse, miles from his family, and just recieved the news that someone he loved very much had passed away. But yet in his tears and brokeness he pressed through to worship the Lord.
My mind quickly went to Paul and Silas. There they were in that prison cell, in their darkest moment, beaten, bleeding, and near death, and yet they chose to worship. And so, here was my young friend, in his darkest moment, his heart broken and bleeding with pain with this horrible loss, and yet he chose to worship.
No matter what our circumstances are we can always choose to worship. Our God is worthy of praise no matter what is happening around us. Maybe we have lost a loved one, maybe we are near death, maybe we are in a battle, maybe we lost our job, maybe it seems like all hope is lost, but my friends..there is power in praise!
The true victory is in praise and worship. We don't praise because of good things happening to us - we praise because HE IS WORTHY OF PRAISE! It is as simple as that. Yes, we can jump up and down and thank Him for answered prayers and rejoice in moments of happiness but our joy shouldn't be based on our circumstances EVER!
Our joy can not be robbed because it simply comes from knowing Him. Knowing He paid it all! Knowing He won the victory for us! Knowing He loves us with a love that is greater then anything we could ever understand.
My young friend was strengthened, his heart was comforted because he made the best choice. He chose to worship and praise. He chose to look upon Jesus and not his circumstances.
That 12 year old boy is a hero in my eyes and I will not soon forget. When I am tempted to look at my circumstances, when I am tempted to say I am too weak to praise, when I am tempted to be depressed, I will remember him. I will remember that he chose to praise God after receiving the worst news of his life.
And a little child shall lead...