During the Storm

I was listening to "Praise You In This Storm" by Casting Crowns yesterday and it occurred to me how easy it is to praise God when everything in our lives is going well.  When things go sideways, well that's another thing entirely, but it shouldn't be.  When we are in trouble, or things don't go the way we want or even asked God for them to go we have a tendency to move away from God.  Sometimes we even blame God for the circumstances that we have found ourselves in.  In these times, when we need Him the most, shouldn't we be praising him and moving closer to him and not farther away?  It's during these times that our faith is tested the most, it's easy to praise God when things go well, but when our lives don't go the way we want that's when we find out just how strong our faith can be.  At the end of Joshua 24:15 Joshua says "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  You probably noticed that he said we will serve the Lord, period nothing else.  He did not say "we will serve the Lord" as long as things go well, as long as I don't have any problems or trials or difficulty.  He just says "we will serve the Lord".  It's a wonderful thing to praise God when all is well in our lives but when things don't go the way we want them that's when we really need to start praising God.  God will never give up on us the least we can do is not give up on Him.  I'd to close this entry with another of my favorite verses that seems appropriate. 
Isaiah 41:9-10
9 I have called you back from the ends of the earth,
saying 'You are my servant.' 
For I have chosen you
and will not throw you away.
10 Don't be afraid, for I am with you.
Don't be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Among others, I read these two verses every day because when the storm comes, I also have difficulty remembering that God is in control of the storm taking what was meant for our harm and using it for our good.  No matter what happens, how bad things may seem to be getting, keep praising God and keep believing in Him.  He believes in you after all and really what do you have to lose by praising Him during the difficult times?