Praise Is a Sacrifice

Most of us think of sacrifice as giving something up.

Time.

Comfort.

Money.

Control.

But Scripture says there is another sacrifice God loves.

Praise.

“Through Him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God.” (Hebrews 13:15)

Notice what the verse does not say.

It does not say praise is a reward.

It does not say praise is a feeling.

It does not say praise is what we offer when everything is going our way.

It calls praise a sacrifice.

Why?

Because real praise costs something.

It is easy to praise when the prayer is answered.

It is easy to praise when the diagnosis is good.

It is easy to praise when the relationship is healed.

It is easy to praise when the bank account is full.

But when the heart aches, when the future is uncertain, when the storm refuses to move, and a believer still lifts his eyes and says, “Lord, You are good,” that is a sacrifice.

That praise costs something.

It is an act of trust.

An act of surrender.

An act of faith.

The sacrifice is not the words.

The sacrifice is laying down the demand that God must prove Himself before we worship Him.

Job praised.

Paul praised.

Silas praised.

Christ Himself praised the Father while walking toward the cross.

Praise is not pretending everything is okay.

Praise is declaring that God is still worthy even when everything is not okay.

And Scripture tells us that God delights in that kind of worship.

Not because He needs it.

Not because He lacks anything.

But because praise reveals a heart that trusts Him.

A heart that sees Him.

A heart that loves Him.

Sometimes the most powerful worship ever offered is not sung from a mountaintop.

Sometimes it is whispered through tears.

“Lord, I don’t understand.”

“Lord, this hurts.”

“Lord, I’m tired.”

“But you are still good.”

That is praise.

And sometimes, that praise is the greatest sacrifice we can bring.

TRAVIS KNOWLTON