“Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness” (Psalm 29:2).

Being angry is easy. Being frustrated is easy. Anger and frustration require no action on our part. Anger and frustration happen to us. They are emotions we feel. We are passive in anger and frustration. We do not cause it. We merely feel it.

Anyone can be angry and frustrated.

The word “ascribe” in our text is written in the imperative. God commands us to ascribe.

What does ascribe mean? It means to give.

What does God command us to give? God commands us to give glory to God and to worship him.

Isn’t that interesting? Why does God command us to give or ascribe to him glory?

Perhaps it’s because everyone can be angry and frustrated with things, but only those who know that God is sovereign, that God is good, that God is in control can turn from their anger and frustration. Only those who know God are able to refocus and recalibrate their vision on God and the splendor of his holiness in order to give glory to God and worship him.

Friends, everyone is frustrated and angry. What our world needs from Christ-followers is not more frustration and anger. The world needs Christ-followers who know that God is good, to live in that reality. Because God is good and because God is sovereign, that there is much to be grateful for.

You cannot change the world by being like the world. You can only change the world by being different than the world.

When it comes to God’s glory and the splendor of his holiness, we don’t have to make up stuff to be grateful for. God is more than enough. As long as we have God, we have reason to give thanks. All we have to do is to turn our focus from the world to God; all we have to do is to recalibrate our thinking from our own thoughts to God’s glory.

This doesn’t happen by accident. This takes intentionality and will.

As you start this day, join with me in turning our focus to God and his glory. Join with me in recalibrating our minds to the splendor of his holiness.

Take a moment to sit with this verse and truth. Then, think of at least three things you are grateful for. Write them down. Start your day with gratitude and worship, and keep them with you as an anchor throughout the day.

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.

“If my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

This past week has been tumultuous and historic for all the wrong reasons.

It is perfectly normal to feel frustrated, angry, fearful. These are natural reactions. However, I want to encourage you to move on from frustration, anger, and fear. Frustration, anger, and fear wants to paralyze you into passivity. What is needed in our country is not just passivity, but productive actions; actions that will lead to a better and mutually desired future.

I encourage you to channel your emotions to courageously fight against and make your stand against violence, bias, and lies.

The scriptures give us a three step plan how we can channel our frustrations, anger, and fear into action. God tells us, “If my people who are called by my name…” That’s you. That’s me. That’s the church.

“If my people who are called by my name…”
1. Will humble themselves
2. Pray and seek my face
3. Turn from our wicked ways

When we do these three things, God promises, “to hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and bring healing to our land.” What a fantastic promise. We desperately need healing.

• But too often, we are a nation that wants God’s heaven without humbling ourselves.
• Too often, we are a nation that wants God’s blessings without praying and seeking God’s ways.
• Too often, we are a nation that wants God’s healing and forgiveness without turning from our wicked ways.

God, forgive us. Lord, have mercy.

I invite you to join with me in praying for our nation this week. Pray for the President. Pray for Vice President Pence. Pray for our congressional and senate leaders. Pray for the President and Vice President elect.

Pray that our nation would humble ourselves, pray and seek God’s ways, and turn from our wicked ways. Pray that God will bring healing to our land. Pray for wisdom as our leaders gather to discern best ways to bring healing to our land.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3).

Life sometimes isn’t fair:
– We’re downsizing. We’re going to have to let you go.

Life sometimes punches us in the guts:
– I want a divorce.
– It’s cancer.

Life is sometimes hard:
– It’s the landlord again. How are we going to pay the rent?

In these moments where we can hardly breath, where our hands start sweating, the moments where our hearts begin racing…we’ve all been there. And, if you haven’t yet faced hard times, it’s not a matter of if you will face hard times but when. They will come. Because that is life.

2020 was a doozey. 2021 is off to an “interesting” start.

These things are all true. But these things don’t tell the whole story.

God is still in control. God still loves us. God is still sovereign. God is still Lord.

When Satan took everything from Job he thought he had won. But, to Job, God was his everything. Satan hadn’t done anything to shake Job’s faith and trust in God. 

I get it. It’s been a hard season. But also know this – God didn’t bring you this far, to only bring you this far. There is so much more. God is preparing us, training us for a brighter future.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and future'” (Jeremiah 29:11). As Pastor Brad constantly reminds us, “The best is yet to come!”

It’s okay to be frustrated. It’s okay to be afraid. Just as long as you remember God is our everything.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” So keep trusting. Keep holding His hand. He’s got this.