"Blessed be the name of the lord"

I feel like I am cheating a little bit by writing about this line as it is so clear what the message is, but it's the song that is resounding in my head so I'm running with it.
This time I'm looking at the whole context of the song, It's written by Matt Redman and it's all praising God no matter what comes along...How tough is that?
The answer is really , really tough - have you ever felt like the whole world is crushing you and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You feel like God has left you, and just when you think you can't handle any more something else is piled on top of you? I know for a fact I have felt like that.

I was watching a little video with Matt Redman and he talked about where the song came from and how the inspiration was from Job (in the bible) That Job was left to hang and felt like he couldn't take any more but yet he still praised God through his misery. For me that is so important, It made me realise I don't have to be feeling really happy to praise God and it's alright to praise him through the tears and through the heart ache. Although at times we might not feel like playing ball - and that's all OK too!

I once heard a sermon about how God doesn't give us things we can't handle - so even though we feel like we can't go on - God knows we can, and not only that it will make us stonger.

A tough message I know, but as always it's important to try and take small steps. I love setting little challenges and I don't know if people ever take them up - but this time...Try and praise God in the hard times. You almost have to force yourself to thank God in the hard time - if your not in a hard time rejoice even more and spare a prayer for those who are feeling blue!