The Effect of Praise

'My mouth is filled with Your praise...all day long.' Psalm 71:8 NAS

In 2007, after battling leukemia, pianist/song-writer Roger Bennett died. He thought he was in remission but the disease returned with a vengeance. He wrote on his website: 'Our enemy stalks us exactly the way the Bible describes, as a roaring lion. He hides in the bushes waiting for any sign of weakness. Then he strikes. He didn't strike me physically. He struck a more critical part - my joy...confidence...and hope. Every thought I turned towards Heaven bounced back like it was made of brass. Every time I tried to look on the bright side, I ended up imagining a dark future. Then he threw his most effective dart - doubt. "You call yourself a Christian. What a hypocrite! You're more afraid than ever...more filled with despair. So much for your faith, Mr. Gospel Singer!" I believed everything he said. I tried everything I knew to pull out of it...I thought if I dozed off it would pass...but the clock seemed to move in slow motion. Sleep was nowhere near. I tried to lose myself in the Bible, but the words blurred and I couldn't make sense of them.' Then Bennett had an epiphany, as he thought about Paul and Silas in prison. 'They didn't despair,' he wrote. 'They sang praises and that became their weapon. One after another...old songs came to me and I sang them to my empty room. It wasn't a great performance, but it may be the most powerful blessing I've received.' The Psalmist wrote, 'My mouth is filled with Your praise...all day long.'(Psalm 71:8 NAS) Try it. It's a strategy that works!