James 1:2-6 – "Consider it nothing but joy my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith (through experience) produces endurance (leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace). And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed (in your faith) lacking nothing."

Let's be honest, when trials and tribulations enter our lives we all have the tendency to freak out and run. They tend to test our fight or flight response. We tend to either run away and go back to the sin that Christ saved us from. Or we tend to fight back and allow the whole armor of God to keep us at peace.

But there is another way to get through trials and tribulations, one that does not require us to fight our way through. That way is to praise. Instead of making trials and tribulations about defending yourself, you can turn them into holy ground. The word holy means "dedicated or consecrated to God; sacred." The word ground means "the solid surface of the earth." Notice how James 1:2-6 is talking about counting it all joy. It tells us to glory in our trials and tribulations. It is telling us to praise the Lord with thanksgiving.

When we look at our trials and tribulations through eyes of praise to our Holy God. When we look at trials and tribulations as holy ground, we are able to see clearly that God has a purpose for everything. We are able to see clearly that God is trying to build something in us, He is trying to change and prune us. The amazing thing is that this is all for our good. So today sons and daughters if you are going through a trial a tribulation I want you to turn it into holy ground and let praise express your trust in the God who knows all.