This week kicks off our upcoming National Holiday of Thanksgiving. Let’s see if we can start the week with some words of giving thanks that will encourage us. Can you say, “Whatever!”
1863 – Thanksgiving Becomes a National Holiday
The Thanksgiving holiday started in 1621. The Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Native Americans shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states.
It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.
Being Thankful Ain’t Easy
Being thankful sounds easy, but it isn’t. Crises are at an all-time high. The crisis with health, an important relationship, financially, spiritually, and even more so emotionally. Your mind doesn’t automatically go directly to thankfulness. But make a note, being grateful is essential!
1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
But Scott, What is God’s Will?
That’s easy, we just read it! Being thankful, or grateful is a part of His will.
Our brain tries to protect us. In crisis situations, it takes us through these common steps to readjust: denial, anger, guilt, bargaining, depression, and then acceptance. Most only know this as being applied to losing a loved one. We call it grieving. But the loss of a job, the end of a relationship, the diagnosis of a terminal illness, or any other change that alters life as we know it can trigger these actions.
Be Sunk or Be Raised Up – Attitude or Gratitude
Trials and suffering can actually refine and deepen gratefulness if we allow it. Or they can give us an attitude. But these times can show us not to take things for granted. Thanksgiving (gratitude day) was born and grew out of hard times. The first Thanksgiving took place after nearly half the pilgrims died from a rough winter and year. It became a national holiday in 1863 in the middle of the Civil War and was moved to its current date in the 1930s following the Depression.
Taking Things for Granted
When times are good, people take prosperity for granted. But sometimes things are not so good. I don’t know how some people do it in what they are going through. But I do know that being grateful is a choice. You can choose to do it even when you don’t feel like it. You can bring balance, calmness, and acceptance to your situation. Sometimes we don’t appreciate what we have until such times.
Romans 5:3-5 niv
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
A Study on Gratitude, Part 1
A study was done with three groups who experienced suffering.
- One group – write for 20 minutes about an unrelated topic to your suffering;
- the second group – write specifically about your suffering;
- the third group – write about something positive associated with your suffering.
The study found that the third group had more closure and a better outlook on their situation.
What are you grateful for this week:
- The air you breathe;
- Waking up to another God-given day;
- Having a roof over your head;
- Running hot and cold water
- Clean clothes to wear
- Food to eat
- The laughter of your children and the chatter of your friends
- The technology you have at your fingertips helps you daily
- The power of electricity
- The endless opportunities in the world today
- The sunshine
- Wonderful connections
- The beauty of time
- Your amazing senses
- Travel and Transportation
- Health and well-being
- Personal development
- Appreciation and love
- Loved ones who stick by your side
- <<add your grateful thoughts below in the comments>>
Whatever…
Philippians 4:8 ESV
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
A Study on Gratitude, Part 2
The people from the study above who focused on something positive experienced this:
- gratitude can be an overwhelmingly intense feeling,
- gratitude for gifts that others easily overlook, and
- gratitude can be chosen in spite of one’s situation or circumstances.
There was also a redemptive twist that occurred in nearly half of those who participated: out of something bad (suffering, adversity, affliction) came something good (new life or new opportunities) for which the person felt profoundly grateful.
James 1:2-4 niv
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Evidence
I’ve shared Josh Baldwin’s song before here – The Evidence, but it really fits here. It is a great song to meditate on the evidence of God in how good He is to us.
Challenge of the Week:
As you experience your every-day-walking-around-kind-of-life today with Jesus this week, and as you spend time reflecting on GivingThanks (ThanksGiving), make notes and express those things for which you are thankful. And tell Him, Whatever! So be it.
Note: Next week I will pick back up on Learning to Minister Like Jesus.
