Ps.109:1-5, 26-31  Do not be silent, O God of my praise.  For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues.  They beset me with works of hate, and attack me without cause.  In return for my love, they accuse me, even while I make prayer for them.  So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love...Help me, O Lord my God!  Save me according to your steadfast love.   Let them know that this is your hand; you, O Lord,  have done it.  Let them curse, but you will bless.  Let  my assailants be put to shame; may your servant be   glad.  May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle.  With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;  I will praise him in the midst of the throng.  For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save them from those who would condemn them to death.* 

It sounds so easy.  All we need to do is rejoice, giving  thanks in all circumstances, no matter  what.  Trust me, it is much easier said than done.  For me, it is one of the most important passages in the entire Bible.  I try to base my entire life on it.  Constant Praise is easy, until things are either going very well and we forget to give thanks, or the situation is so bad, we’re too upset to praise.  Unfortunately, I  am  guilty of both.

                My parents began ‘Praising the Lord’ in the early Seventies.  It all started so innocently, when someone suggested my father read a book called Prison to Praise by Merlin Carothers.  This is the moment when I suggest you read no further if you would rather not take responsibility for your attitude, demeanor, and general mental well-being. 

                It is neither easy nor fun.  In those moments when your heart is breaking, it is nearly impossible.  Can we be thankful for those things that nearly destroy us?

                Can I be thankful for the man who molested me as a child, then tried to kill me?  Can I be thankful for those nights that he prowled around our house trying to break in, or coming to my third grade class in an attempt to abduct me?  In everything give thanks? 

                For twenty-five years I allowed anger and bitterness over the incidents in my childhood to consume me.  They dominated and controlled my life to the point where my actions were not always rational or sane.  About a decade ago, I came to realize I had to do something.  It took awhile  to learn to praise.  I was angry at God.  How could He allow this to happen?

                My mother is fond of saying the Lord does not allow us to be pushed beyond the breaking point.  Trust me, I was walking a thin line.  I wanted a rational answer for an irrational act of evil.  I definitely did not want to hear her tell me, “Sometimes things happen so we can help other people.

                When they tell us their story, and say no one understands, we can look them in the eye and say, yes I do, because I have been there and know just how you feel.” 

                Grasping at the preverbal straw, I realized the only  way I could turn evil to good was to try and help other women who had been through the same thing.  Have you ever talked to a woman who was on the verge of suicide because she was trying ‘deal with’ memories of childhood molestation?  I have.  I was able to say, “I understand, because I have been  there,” It is the only way of making good out of bad.

                I also understand why I must be thankful for the horrendous situation.  In my thankfulness I have found a measure of forgiveness.  I can give lip-service to saying I forgive that vile person for what he did, at least I think I can.  I keep trying to.  Some days it’s easier than others, but I am trying. 

                We must practice forgiveness.  If not, the ill becomes a festering hate.  If we hate, there is a part of us that we with- hold from God.  I have a trite phrase I like to use, “Evil cannot exist where there is praise.” 

The first place to start on the road to forgiveness is a generic ‘thank  you’ for all things.  After we do a few of those, we move into the more specific thank you’s, the ones that are far more difficult.  Suddenly, one day, you discover the bitterness no longer exists.  In its place is a rejoicing in God’s creation.  I refuse to allow an evil perpetrated on me  by someone else, many years ago, to dominate my life as a Christian.  There is praise.

                Now comes the fun part.  I cannot explain it.  I don’t understand it.  Sometimes it doesn’t make sense, but after we praise God, especially for some miserable, petty situation, things dramatically improve.  Go figure!

                What about praise and depression?  I have moments  of ‘downs’ and negatives.  A friend of mine, Dr. David Cannon, who is an excellent psychologist in Clemson, South Carolina described depressive moods to me one day.  His approach is so logical and simple, it works. 

                When we first become down about something, we start thinking negatively.  Then we think of something else negative.  Other negative and depressing thoughts invade our mind. Suddenly, we are experiencing full blown depression. There are many instances where we can prevent the onset of depression simply by being positive.

                Where does praise come into this?  Think about it.  So this nasty, rude tourist from Texas does the ugly and cheats me out of a parking place.  Instead of being thankful and praying for that person’s soul, I allow myself to get into a snit.  I go into the restaurant where things don’t go my way.  On the way home I’m in a bad mood and hear a sad song on the radio.  I start thinking about hurts, slights, and sad things.  The first thing you know, I’m depressed!

                I’m sorry, to say, in this life, I’ve been happy and I’ve been depressed.  Even though I’m a good, self-respecting Scot,  I’d much rather be happy.  So, I’m complaining about the rude Texan when I go into the restaurant.  I tell my friend Katherine.  Suddenly, I see the group of people he’s with and say, “Consider the source!”  No, I did not stop to pray for his soul, but at least I stopped the negatives before  they could get started.1