Get the focus off yourself and live a life of thankfulness.

Get the focus off yourself and live a life of thankfulness.

What do you have to be thankful for? Psalm 100 reminds us of why thankfulness is an important character quality for any Christian. And Psalm 100 teaches us several important things about thankfulness and our attitude.

A Grumpy Christian Is an Oxymoron

An oxymoron is a combination of contradictory words. “Grumpy” and “Christian” should never go together. Psalm 100 pictures God’s people filled with praise and gratitude toward God. This is why the King James Version of Psalm 100 opens, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord.” Rather than being grumpy and grouchy, Christians are called to worship God with gladness.

Psalm 100:1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

You Can’t Be Thankful if You Only Focus on Yourself

Part of the reason that we aren’t thankful is that we tend to focus on ourselves. We focus on what we don’t have, and all of our problems. We tend to complain. But a Christian must remember all that God has done for them. As a result, Christians are called to take the focus off themselves and put it on God.

When Christians Gather It Shouldn’t Look Like a Funeral

Many churches feel like a funeral. Everyone is quiet and most people are bored. However, Psalm 100 makes the gathering of God’s people look like a rock concert. It’s joyful and loud.

Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.

We Are Thankful Because of God’s Goodness Toward Us

People who practice thankfulness recognize God’s goodness in their lives. Thankful people focus on God’s provision in their lives. Thankful people have experienced God’s work in their lives, and they know that God watches over them like a shepherd. This results in worship to him.

Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

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Key Points:

  • A grumpy Christian is an oxymoron (Psalm 100:1).
  • You can’t be thankful if you only focus on yourself.
  • When Christians gather it shouldn’t look like a funeral (Psalm 100:4).
  • We are thankful because of God’s goodness toward us (Psalm 100:5).

Quote This:

Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

See Also: Old Testament, Sermonlink, Thankfulness

Talk About It
  1. What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  2. What’s your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?
  3. Do you tend to be a grumpy person or a joyful person? Explain.
  4. Read Psalm 100. How does the picture of worship in this Psalm compare to a normal worship service at your church?
  5. What sort of mood are you usually in when you get to church? How can you prepare yourself to have an attitude of joy and thankfulness at church?
  6. List some of the typical things you experience in your life that prevent you from being thankful. How does this Psalm teach you to deal with these things that make you unthankful?
  7. Share some things that God has done in your life that cause you to be thankful.
  8. Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
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