Poor Thanksgiving. It is the forgotten holiday. Even retail skips over it. You get “fall decorations” and Halloween costumes and candy. The only people who remember Thanksgiving are the grocery stores who finally empty their shelves of jellied cranberry sauce. And before Halloween is over, the stores have converted their shelves from candy corn to Christmas decorations.
I love Thanksgiving. And, contrary to what I stated above, I love it because it isn’t commercialized. We don’t buy Thanksgiving gifts or decorate thanksgiving trees. We don’t carve gourds and light them up for the fourth Thursday in November. And we don’t decorate eggs or buy chocolate turkeys. Thanksgiving has the potential to be one holiday that is true to it’s name. A time of giving thanks. It is a reminder that thankfulness is a gift and responsibility.
Thankfulness is one of the few specific things we are told are God’s will for us. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul writes, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Paul wrote this to the church at Thessalonica who were new believers. It was instruction on how to live as a follower of Jesus.
In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul is writing to the church at Philippi: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” What is even more impressive is that Paul wrote this letter from prison.
These two verses are favorites of mine and Phil 4:6-7 has carried me through many challenges and seasons of anxiety. It is easy to pray these from memory and lose sight of the deep meaning in each. Thanksgiving shouldn’t just be expressed when things are easy. It is not situational. It is not circumstantial. It is not reserved for a November afternoon around a dinner table with family and friends as we gorge ourselves with mountains of mashed potatoes and stuffing. Paul clearly says, “give thanks in ALL circumstances.” And he tells us that we “are not to be anxious about ANYTHING but in EVERY situation, with thanksgiving, present our requests to God.”
If you’re at all like me, you may be thinking, “easier said than done, Paul!” Because we are human and limited in our understanding, we struggle with the concept of expressing joy in difficult times. With the instruction to be thankful when facing challenges or when we feel like we are overcome or treated unfairly. We feel entitled to our anger, our hurt, our frustration, our hopelessness. And here comes Paul saying, “you can feel all those things, but you must also be joyful and thankful.” My friends, he is right.
I’ve struggled with anxiety and worry for a lot of my life. Only recently have I learned to lean fully into Jesus’ promises and be thankful in all situations. Those kaleidoscope moments I mentioned last week? They require us to be thankful for the broken pieces. For without them, the beautiful mosaic of our future isn’t possible. To be thankful for the mixed-up feelings and uncertainty, because in those moments of faith, God produces the most beautiful masterpieces.
Being thankful in all circumstances means that we appreciate the past mercies and grace God has shown us. And they promise us that we can trust Him to love us through whatever we are currently facing. It means that we acknowledge His power and hand in our lives. It means that even in our fear, grief, anxiety, anger…we recognize, acknowledge, and embrace the truth that in our darkest moments, we have a savior. A savior who was beaten, bloodied, crucified so that we would never walk through this worldly journey alone. A God whose heart was broken as His son was sacrifice. A sacrifice God made so that He could be in relationship with you and me. A God who gave the only thing He could to rectify the sin of man.
If that doesn’t make you want to shout praises of Thanksgiving, I don’t know what will. When I think about all that was done, all that was endured, all that was sacrificed, it is easier to come to the throne with thanksgiving – in ALL circumstances and in EVERY situation. While it may feel unnatural to seek joy amid struggle, it is exactly what we are called to do.
And it is possible. It is possible to be grateful that the diagnosis isn’t worse. It is possible to be grateful that the relationship that ended taught valuable lessons. It is possible to be grateful that the struggle has made you stronger. It is possible to be grateful that the mountains you’ve climbed prepare you to help someone else make that journey.
Thankfulness is a choice. A choice to give yourself the gift of peace. A choice to accept the gift of God’s faithfulness and Jesus’ sacrifice. So, as you sit around the table in a few weeks, grabbing your second helping of green bean casserole, remember the power of thankfulness in ALL situations.
This week I encourage you to find ways to be thankful in everyday challenges as well as everyday blessings.