One of the noblest aspects of praising the Lord, such as in a prayer meeting, is that it fosters the virtue of humility within us. It cultivates a "sacrificial heart."
We basically pray in four ways: to adore or praise God, to thank Him, to ask for pardon for our sins, and to ask Him for something.
In those last three, it involves ourselves in the picture when we pray. We pray because we hope to benefit from something in our prayer. But in the first type of prayer, when we praise God, it's all about Him. We devote our minds and hearts to forget ourselves and think of God alone.
If I give thanks, it is because I have received something. If I ask for forgiveness, it is because I have sinned. If I ask for something, it's because I need something. But in the prayer of adoration or praising God, the only person we consider is God alone. There is no element of "me, myself, and I" in this type of prayer.
That is why when we sing praises to the Lord, it is the most perfect form of prayer, the kind that gives the greatest glory to God.
As St. Paul exhorts us in his letter to the Romans 12:1: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters... to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."
May the sacrifice of our praise be pleasing to you, O Lord. Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle our hearts and minds, and lead us where you want us to go according to your Holy will. Amen.
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