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Sometimes it is hard to be thankful. Life just sends us circumstances and situations which aren’t welcome, and people who are difficult, and being thankful is not our normal response, is it?

However, we know that as Christ-followers, we are bombarded in scripture with exhortations to be thankful people. Psalm 34 says, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Really, David? At all times? Hard to do, don’t you think? But here’s the thing: our other options are much harder.

Giving a sacrifice of praise—praising God, blessing God is being thankful even when it is a sacrifice; even when we don’t feel it; even when we can’t see any reason to be thankful.

Why should we praise God?

Have you ever wondered why God wants us to praise him? We know that God is almighty and self-sufficient. Could he possibly have a need for our praise?

One of the basic principles of management is that in order to properly motivate people, you should recognize and reward them for the good things they do. I use the phrase: “catch them at doing something right and tell them.” That management technique will do more for increasing productivity and improving morale than anything else a manager can do.

Why? Because we humans really have to have some positive feedback and reinforcement in order for us to be motivated to do things right. We need pats on the back, warm fuzzies, and “attaboys.”

But does God? Could he need anything that we could supply? He who spoke the world into existence—why should the puny praise of people make any difference to him?

Be assured God does not need our praise. Yet he does desire our praise. Why?

We praise God for our own good.

Praising God is good for us—that’s why. When we make praise an integral part of our lives, we are the ones who benefit. And because God knows that praising him is so important to us, he repeatedly exhorts us to praise him.