“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV)

In May 2011, I got so excited one day about something very simple: cooking spaghetti. At the time, that was a huge milestone because I’d had surgery on my left wrist, and complications from the procedure made it impossible to hold anything in my left hand. Since I had no grip strength at all, for months, everything literally slipped through my fingers.

I remember trying to make breakfast before I was strong enough to do it. With my shaky left hand, I prepared eggs that turned out horrible. They were full of crunchy shells! My husband Kenya, who is always so sweet to me, ate the eggs anyway. I felt like a failure, and when he tried to console me, he couldn’t stop giggling.

"It's okay. Give yourself time,” he said through stifled laughter.

We now both laugh equally as hard when we reminisce about the crunchy egg incident, but I was so disappointed and deflated that day. It seemed like I would never get better, but I did. And that’s why the first time I successfully made spaghetti, I felt incredibly grateful. I wasn’t all the way recovered when I made that scrumptious pasta dish, but I still celebrated my progress. I had a long way to go, but I knew I had come a long way too.

This weekend, meditate on Psalm 34:1, which says, “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” David wrote this while he was on the run from his rival, King Saul. Though David’s life was in disarray, he found a reason to bless the Lord. And if David could find a reason to praise in the midst of trouble, so can we. When Paul and Silas were thrown in prison for doing the work of the Lord (See Acts 16:19-40), they sang praises while they were behind bars, and God delivered them.

As you wait for your ultimate deliverance, learn to celebrate small steps. Praise God where you are. Even though you have greater goals and desires, don’t let that diminish your level of gratitude for all the ways God has blessed you so far. Be content where you are while you’re on the road to where you're going. Don’t wait until you get the breakthrough to give God praise. Praise Him now. Glorify Him now. Worship Him now. Tell Him how much you appreciate Him now.

Be intentional about celebrating His works, His blessings, and the progress you have made only by His grace. If you praise Him now, He’ll do even more for you in the future. As the church mothers used to tell me growing up, “When praises go up, blessings come down!”

Now, let’s pray.

God, thank You for how far You have brought me. Although everything isn’t perfect, I have so much to be grateful for. I will praise You where I am as I believe You for even greater things to come. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Get more inspiration from Dianna Hobbs weekdays, Monday through Friday, right here on Your Daily Cup of Inspiration. Be sure to catch up on encouragement that you missed, and if you need prayer, don’t hesitate to ask for it here. The ministry team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, to intercede. Until next time, stay encouraged.