Reading Patricia’s
post on “Shifting the Praise Paradigm” made my mind drift to an event that years
ago taught me a similar lesson as I watched a woman struck by tragedy live out
her praise in a way I could never imagine…
A chill swept
through my body as I listened to my friend’s voice on the other end of the phone. Ozzie, a young man in our church’s youth
group, had died in a tragic fall while at a youth retreat, and the youth
,including my son, would be coming home early.
Questions swirled through
my mind as I hung up. How had this
happened? Wasn’t this the sort of thing
that was just on t.v. or was reported about places far away? Was my son, Anson, ok?….And on and on….
After the dazed and grieving group returned home into the
waiting arms of their parents, reports of the accident and the subsequent events
began to be told. The one story that I
struggled with the most was told to me by my son. Ozzie’s mother, Maria, had been a chaperone
for the youth that weekend and was able to be with Ozzie as he died. After accompanying his body to the hospital,
Maria had returned to the camp to speak to the shocked group of kids and
leaders who were waiting to hear some news.
She spoke of God’s goodness and His sovereignty. She testified of Ozzie’s love for Jesus and
his journey to heaven to be with his Lord.
She reminded the group of God’s love for each one of them, and she
comforted them through her own sorrow.
I just couldn’t believe it.
How could she have been able to do such a thing immediately after the
death of her son? How was it that my son
had been so comforted and inspired by this grieving mother? The cynic in me answered that surely her
ability came from pure shock. It was
simply not normal.
God brought conviction to my heart that night as I read an
author’s perspective on the praise that flowed from Mary’s lips after hearing
the news that she was to be the mother of Jesus. Just like Maria, Mary had also received some
shocking news. Although the coming of
the Messiah brought joy to Mary’s heart, it had to have also brought feelings
of fear and uncertainty that this child was to be delivered through her own
unmarried, teenage body.
God softened my heart as I thought of Hannah who praised God
as she gave her only son to a life in the temple (see I Samuel 1 and 2) and Job who worshipped God following reports
from successive messengers of doom and loss (see Job 1).
Maria’s reaction wasn’t normal. It was extraordinary! I have no doubt that days of excruciating
pain and grief are ahead for Maria and the rest of Ozzie’s family. However, as I learn more about Maria from her
friends and church family, I know that her outreach to our hurting youth group
was an overflow of praise from a woman that has cultivated a habit of praise
through hard times.
The question that God has gently raised in my heart is,
“Sweet daughter, what are you doing to create a pattern of praise?” Blame, anger and bitterness are the sinful
soul’s response to tragedy, so praise is something that must be practiced and
made a habit. “Rejoice in the Lord
always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4--NIV) Won’t you start with me today as I count
every blessing and rehearse the truths of God’s character in the good times so
that I’ll be ready to respond with praise when hard times come?
Amy Carroll’s joy and passion is helping women find a deep
connection to God’s Word and each other. As a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker team and
director of Next Step Speaker
Services, she’s committed to opening up her whole life to teach the lessons
she’s learned in her pursuit of applying God’s truth. Amy is an ordinary woman who laughs at corny
jokes, cries at Hallmark commercials and is afraid of bouncing checks and her
own double chin. But she has a God-given ability to share His big truths in
small, understandable bites. She loves
scripture and is dedicated to teaching it in all its unvarnished glory. You can
get to know Amy better at http://www.amycarroll.org
or www.nextstepspeakerservices.org.
