When Worship Becomes Contagious: Living a Life of Passionate Praise

There's something remarkable about watching someone worship with complete abandon. You know the type—eyes closed, hands raised, lost in the moment, completely unaware of who's watching. Their passion is so genuine, so real, that it draws you in. Before you know it, their worship becomes your worship. Their encounter with God becomes your encounter with God.
This kind of worship isn't manufactured or performed. It flows from a heart that has truly grasped how great God is.
The Storm and the Rainbow
In 1885, a Swedish man named Carl Boberg was walking home through the hill country when an intense thunderstorm erupted without warning. Dark clouds rolled in, thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and rain poured down. He scrambled under some trees for shelter, completely drenched and caught off guard.
Then, as suddenly as it had arrived, the storm passed.
What happened next changed everything. The sun broke through the clouds, painting a magnificent rainbow across the sky. Birds began to chirp. A profound peace settled over the landscape. Standing there, soaked and awestruck, Boberg couldn't help but see God's hand in it all.
Here's what makes this story powerful: Boberg had just come from church. He'd been worshiping, singing, and fellowshiping with other believers. His heart was already tuned to see God's greatness. So instead of cursing the storm, he marveled at the rainbow. Instead of complaining about being wet, he was overwhelmed by God's majesty.
That day, he wrote a poem titled "O Stor Gud"—"O Great God" in English. Years later, those words would become the beloved hymn "How Great Thou Art."
The question is: Would Boberg have responded the same way if he hadn't just been worshiping? Would he have seen God's hand, or just the inconvenience of a storm?
Who and what we surround ourselves with shapes how we see everything else.
Then Sings My Soul
There's a line in "How Great Thou Art" that captures the essence of true worship: "Then sings my soul."
Not just my voice. Not just my lips. My soul.
Worship isn't about going through the motions or hitting the right notes. It's about your innermost being—your heart, your spirit, your soul—expressing love and adoration to God. It's intimate. It's personal. It's real.
In Psalm 145, King David gives us a masterclass in worship. Six times in just a few verses, he uses the words "I will":

• "I will extol you, my God, O King"
• "I will bless your name forever and ever"
• "Every day I will bless you"
• "I will praise your name forever and ever"
• "I will meditate on your glorious splendor"
• "I will declare your greatness"

David made worship personal. He didn't wait for others to lead. He didn't worry about what people thought. He simply poured out his heart to God.
Making Worship Personal
So how do we cultivate this kind of worship in our own lives?
First, be intentional. Worship doesn't begin when you walk through church doors. It begins before you leave home. Turn off the television. Put on worship music. Pray. Prepare your heart. Come ready to give God your best.
Second, be surrendered. David was the king of Israel—powerful, influential, wealthy. Yet he called God "my King." He understood that compared to God's eternal reign, his own kingship was temporary and small. When we truly grasp who God is, humility comes naturally.
Think about what Jesus did for you. He left heaven's glory, took on human flesh, and died on a cross to pay for your sins. As one hymn writer put it: "When I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in. That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin."
How can we not worship a God like that?
Third, don't hold back. Satan and the world want your worship to be casual, reserved, self-conscious. They want you worried about what others think. But God is worthy of your full-hearted, unashamed praise. Don't get shy now.
What Prevents Us From Worshiping?
If worship is so important, why do we struggle with it?
Sometimes we worry about what others will think. Sometimes we take God for granted—His blessings, His provision, His presence. Sometimes we get distracted by good things that become God-substitutes: family, work, hobbies, finances.
But listen to what the prophet Amos reminds us: "He who forms the mountains and creates the wind, who declares to man what his thought is, and makes the morning darkness, who treads the high places of the earth—the Lord God of hosts is His name" (Amos 4:13).
The God who created everything—from towering mountains to gentle breezes, from sunrise to sunset—deserves our worship. Not just on Sundays, but every single day.
Passing It On
David understood something crucial: worship isn't just personal; it's generational. He wrote, "One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts" (Psalm 145:4).
We have a responsibility to teach the next generation not just to attend church, but to worship God with their whole hearts. To have a real, personal relationship with Jesus. To understand why we worship, not just that we should.
The world screams that value comes from money, success, possessions, and status. But our value as Christ-followers is found in Jesus alone. That's the truth we must instill in our children and grandchildren.
The Gratitude List
True worship includes gratitude. Take time this week to list everything you're thankful for:
God. Jesus. The Holy Spirit. Salvation. Grace. Mercy. Forgiveness. Eternal life. Peace. Hope. Family. Friends. Provision. Spiritual growth. Life lessons. Laughter. Music. Prayer. God's Word. The changing seasons. Freedom to worship.
Even the small things—coffee, shrimp, a reliable vehicle, a beautiful sunrise.
When we remember all God has done, worship flows naturally.
Would Anyone Want to Worship Like You?
There's a challenging question worth pondering: Would anyone want to worship like you?
Is your passion for God contagious? Does your worship draw others into God's presence? When you sing, when you pray, when you lift your hands, is it clear that you're connecting with the living God?
Your worship matters. Not because it's a performance, but because it's an expression of your heart. And when your heart truly connects with God's heart, something powerful happens. Others take notice. They're drawn in. Your worship becomes their worship.
So be intentional. Be surrendered. Be grateful. Be unashamed.
Worship the God who forms mountains and paints rainbows. The God who sent His Son to die for you. The God whose greatness is unsearchable and whose love never fails.
Then sing, my soul. Sing to the Lord of lords and King of kings.
He is worthy of it all.