A Heart Of Gratitude

There’s a story about a man who spent most of his days complaining about life. The bills kept piling up, his car stayed in the shop more than in the driveway, and the weather seemed to always be working against him. Every conversation seemed to circle back to how bad things were.

One day, a friend invited him to ride along to a local soup kitchen. When they arrived, he was shocked. People who had far less than he did … people who didn’t know where their next meal was coming from, were gathered together, singing, clapping, and praising God with smiles that lit up the room. In that moment, something hit him deep in his soul: He realized gratitude isn’t about having everything perfect. It’s about recognizing the goodness you already have and worshiping God for it. (Read Psalm 100)

Psalm 100 reminds us that we don’t have to wait for life to line up perfectly before we praise God. We praise because God is perfect…always faithful… and always good.

The psalm opens with an invitation: “Make a joyful noise to the Lord… Serve the Lord with gladness.”

Worship isn’t just a feeling that occasionally washes over us … it’s a choice we make. And when we make that choice, It becomes active, worship comes alive, yes, sometimes it’s loud… But it’s always intentional.

Serving God should never be treated like a chore; it’s a celebration. Joy is the invitation for the presence of God to come into our lives.

I remember one night at the station, we were running call after call, we were physically exhausted and mentally drained. Everything that could go wrong that night seemed to be happening. And yet, in the quiet moments between calls, I looked around at my crew, and we prayed together, we laughed together, we encouraged each other … and somehow, despite all the chaos, joy came. Gratitude came. And I realized something: worship and thanksgiving aren’t dependent on calm, easy circumstances - they rise up in the middle of the storm.

So I want to ask you something … When you worship are you worshiping God with joy … Are you worshiping with gladness in your heart, or do you just check off the boxes?

? Showed up at church—check.

? Put something in the offering plate—check.

? Sang a few songs—check.

God isn’t impressed with our checklists; God is looking at our hearts… Worship should never be just routine … Worship is celebrating the Lord and all that He’s done, even when life has you worn out… So let your joy be an offering to Him. Everybody say “Joy is my offering!”

The psalm continues, “Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His.”

Our gratitude grows when we remember who God is… When we remember that God is our Creator, our Shepherd, our Provider, and our Protector. He is the One who guards the gate, He’s the Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to come after the one, He’s the God who never left your side when everyone else walked away. He’s the One who sent His only Son to die on a cross so that you and I could be saved. Gratitude and Thankfulness That’s what should drive our worship…

Who is thankful for what the Lord has done?

When you stop and remember that you belong to Him, The one who spoke the universe into existence… gratitude begins to flow naturally… You know why? Because It changes your perspective and shifts your attitude.

Then the psalm says, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.”

Thanksgiving is the doorway to worship… it’s how we enter into the deep, intimate presence of God. And our worship should never be based solely on our feelings. Feelings change daily. But the character of God? That never changes. He is good and His steadfast love endures forever… His faithfulness lasts for all generations… Rejoice…

When we make gratitude a daily habit … even when we don’t feel like it, the atmosphere of our heart transforms. Some of you here today may have lost that thanksgiving mindset because the storms of life have worn you down… but hear me today … God is still good... His love still endures… His faithfulness hasn’t failed.

Maybe it’s time for a reset… Maybe today is the day you decide, “I’m going to cultivate a heart of gratitude no matter what season I’m in.” Write it down. Speak it out. Thank Him for one thing every single day, and let that gratitude open the door for His presence to flood your life.

You don’t have to wait for perfect conditions to worship. Worship now … worship right where you are … not because I’m asking you to, but because God is worthy.