Learning to be grateful in all seasons.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (The Voice Paraphrase)… “Celebrate always, pray constantly, and give thanks to God no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. (This is God’s will for all of you in Jesus the Anointed.)”

Jesus offers an accurate and challenging truth in the gospel according to Luke: “What comes out of the mouth is what’s overflowing in the heart.” Who can read someone’s mind or know the intentions of one’s heart? I would argue, only God can do all that. And yet, according to Jesus, the way people behave and the words that come out of a person’s mouth reveal to the world what is in a person’s heart!

The epic poem in Psalm 105 challenges us to control the overflow of the heart around certain facts about God. This psalm credits God with faithfulness and trust. God made promises to Abraham—those were fulfilled as recorded in the early books of Scripture. The writer of the poem reminds the reader that because of all He has done for Israel, the people should be confident in His love and generous with their appreciation.

Psalm 105 teaches us about what happens when our hearts are filled with gratitude for who God is and what God has done… There is an “overflow” of many things, some of which are mentioned in the first few verses of Psalm 105.

Psalm 105:1… “Give praise (and thanks) to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”

This verse sets the tone for the chapter. It reminds us that anyone can give God praise and thanks. Regardless of the circumstances, giving thanks to God is a “declaration of faith”. “It’s like putting a deposit on a better future.” Ryan Leak

Remember what God has done before, and believe He will do it again. Out of the overflow of a heart of gratitude, we are compelled to remember God’s faithfulness and proclaim God’s greatness to the nations. God keeps His promises. History is in God’s hands. God is redeeming each event to make it useful for His ultimate purposes. We respond to Him in obedience.

Psalm 105:2… “Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.”

Singing in worship is a way to tell God how much we love Him and to declare His love and faithfulness to one another. God is the Audience, and we are the worshippers. Those around us become witnesses to what God has done and is doing in our lives.

Out of the overflow of a heart of gratitude, we are compelled to praise God for His wonderful actions.

Psalm 105:3… “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.”

“Glory” in Hebrew is “halal.” Definition: To praise, to boast, to shine, to celebrate, to glory. Halal” permeates the Hebrew Scriptures as the foundational verb for “praise,” “glory,” “boast,” and “shine.” A heart of gratitude overflows with a desire to “seek” the Lord, and in our seeking, we can rejoice; we can experience joy! In the seeking, we find joy!

Out of the overflow of a heart of gratitude, we are compelled to celebrate (boast in) God’s holy name with joy.

Psalm 105:4… “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”

We look to the Lord for help, but do we look to Him for strength? What does it mean to “look to the Lord?” Hebrew meaning… darash: To seek, inquire, require, investigate, demand; to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worship.

When God seems far away, persist in your search for Him. God is not hiding from you; He reveals Himself to those who sincerely look for Him. Our seeking begins in worship, through prayer, and reading God’s Word.

Out of the overflow of a heart of gratitude, we are compelled to pray to the Lord and seek His strength. The writer of this psalm suggests a valuable way to find God: become familiar with the way He has helped His people in the past… If you did not grow up in a family that followed Jesus, how important it is to find a church family who can walk with you and testify to God’s faithfulness.

May God’s faithfulness and love fill your heart with thankfulness, and may gratitude overflow from your life onto others.