WILL YOU PRAISE?

 

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

A group of happy religious people praising/Credit/Shelagh Murphy

Best Advice

One of the best advice we have heard so far, happened over the weekend. It was from a song. A beautiful song for that matter. In one of the messages in the song. The artiste said that we take off our crowns and place them down. And just reverence the master. Because he deserves our praises. We paid attention to those words. In fact, those words stole our attention. The message was poignant. And we thought. This is what our mind needed to hear. But that was not all. We tried to apply the message to our current circumstance. A not so good circumstance. And wondered if, we could take off our crowns. And offer our deepest adoration to the master. Even when we are not in the mood to adore anyone. Will we be able to take off our crowns and praise? Will you praise in your worst circumstances?

When you have things bothering you. When you are facing threats. When you are living in uncertain times and moments. Will you praise in those moments? Will you find the courage to take off whatever burdens you have and just praise? There is a bigger vision behind the message in the song. The vision is to take your mind off things that are difficult for you. Things that you are struggling with. Difficult problems you don’t have answers to. And shift your focus. You shift your focus from all these things and tailor your focus on the master. Focus on the master. The one that has power and authority. Someone that can fix what you cannot fix. That is the bigger picture. To focus your energies. To the master who has authority to change anything. The heavy burdens you have on yourself are distracting you.

Fun loving people enjoying good music. Photo/Martin Lopez

They make you worry all the time. When you look at the uncertain circumstances, you get worried more. You panic and wonder if, you will make it. You worry about how your life will turn out. If, nothing changes right now. If, this uncertainty does not end or get fixed now. You don’t see how you will make progress. These are some of the heavy burdens you might be carrying. The things that make you sleepless at night. All these things. Are examples of different crowns that normal human beings carry. The message is challenging you. To dare yourself in your worst moment or even in your best moments. To forget about what is going on in your own life, and focus on the master. The master is a master. The master has occupied his rightful place. He has proven himself over and over again. And the master has integrity.

He is a person of his own words. He has solved problems before. Has fixed the worst situations for other people before. His works are known. And that is why the artiste is telling his listeners to take off their crowns and just focus on the master. Because whatever you are feeling, does not change the biggest facts about the master. The master still occupies the highest seat in the land. The master has people bowing before him. He is ranked above all kings. And he has solutions. Those who understand the master trust him. So you have a choice. To either continue being burdened or take off the loads. Whatever achievement you think you have attained. Whatever milestones you have covered. The progress you have made. The possessions that you have acquired. Everything you think fits in the definition of achievement. Will you forget about it and just reverence a higher being?

Will you forget all the ranks? All your problems. Anything that you don’t like right now in your life. Personal or professional. And just praise? Are you on that level? Have you imagined yourself surrendering? Losing control of all that you care about. And give attention to someone else? The message comes across as our best advice. It is our best advice because it does not give us an easy way out. It challenges us. It calls us to think. It makes us question a few things. It gets us to talk about our maturity. It questions our values. And our boldness. Can we surrender even when we are worried about something? When we are worried that perhaps, the following month, we could be homeless. Or that our resources could have ended. And we don’t know how we will go forward. Because things are not looking good for us.

A group of friends enjoying nature and music. Photo/Helena Lopes

Can we forget about all these problems and praise? Can you see how difficult that gets? Can you see how poignant this message is? That you take off your crowns and put them down and just praise. All those good things that are happening in your life. The things you are excited about. The right direction that your life is taking. All those things that are worthy your celebration. Can you forget about them for a moment and just praise? In your worst moment. Are you able to forget about your pain and pay attention to the master? Have you even thought about such possibilities? You leaving your comfort zone. You snapping out of your worries. And praise someone. Because this someone deserves our praises. Can you do that? Place your crowns down and praise? Do you even know the master?

The message in the song is a reminder of so many things. Things you have thought about. And things you have never thought about. Such as, stop worrying about things that worry you. And focus on the bigger picture. Focus on doing something you have never done before. Reverence someone else. Someone who is more deserving than you. Someone that deserves all the praises of the world. Yet he does not ask for these praises. Only the wise choose to recognize him. And set aside time. Find time and appreciate the master. You can also decide to join the small percentage of ordinary people who set aside time. They deliberately set aside time. To reverence someone else. Someone that is not them. Someone they have read about. Someone they have heard about. Someone they have developed a relationship with.

You can begin from somewhere. You can begin by understanding who is the master. You also begin by questioning why you have to take off your crowns. Why you have to praise when you are not in the mood. Begin somewhere. The message is a good reflection point. You can think about it. You can attempt to connect it with your life. Connect the message to different things happening in your life. And think whether you can take off your crowns and place them down. So that you can find time to honor someone else. Think about everything. Take time and reflect. Look at your life. Look at what is going on. Look at the direction your life is taking. Look at your current position. Look at your current circumstances. Are you able to praise? Can you set time aside? Do you think this is the best advice? Begin from anywhere.

As for me. I think I can praise. I think I can make the difficult decision. And forget about the not so good moments and pay attention to someone important. Someone I think deserves my time. The message stole my mind. And I have been thinking about it. And wondering how many of us can surrender. How many of us will praise? Given the circumstances in modern society? Where people have many options. and a lot of escapes. People have places to hide. There are things they can hide behind. There are many false gods. So many artificial powers. So many people who claim to change things. So many things. I think you know some of those things. Things that can give you what you want. Yet the message in the song is advising you to let go of all these things you know. And pay attention to one person. One person that stands tall above all these things. Will you praise in the midst of your distractions? Worries or happiness? Will you praise?