Daily Devotional

This week is Thanksgiving, the forgotten holiday. I call it that because as soon as Halloween is over, anything that wasn’t already themed for Christmas suddenly is, most people start playing Christmas music, and Thanksgiving seems to merely mark the day before “Black Friday.” The dichotomy of Thanksgiving and Black Friday being back to back has always struck me as ironic. On Thursday we give thanks for everything we have been blessed with, followed shortly by knocking people over while trying to buy all the things we don’t need based on deals that aren't that great anyway. It's quite depressing really.

But let’s focus on Thanksgiving, a holiday that in America at least is about parades, football, and food. I’m not really sure how many people actually view it as a day to reflect on what they have to be thankful for. I think many people see it as a day they are going to argue with their family that they don’t get along with. However God calls us as Christians to be thankful, not just for this one day, but every day. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 we are told to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” The day of Thanksgiving should allow us to slow down, fellowship with friends and family, and really reflect on all that God has done for us over the past year. It should serve as a reset of our attitude, to give us an attitude of gratitude so to speak. And help us focus our attention on the celebration of the birth of Christ that is now only a month away.

There is always something to be thankful for, even in the midst of hard times and circumstances, God is blessing us. Maybe you are battling an illness but God has placed friends and family in your life to come alongside you and support you. Maybe you are experiencing financial difficulties, but God may be growing your faith and dependence on Him. You might be struggling with grief or depression, but God is still on His throne, He is still in control, and He still loves you and cares for you. We can always find something to be angry, disappointed, depressed, or worried about. It is easy and seems popular these days to have a victim mentality about your circumstances. But only if you allow yourself to view your circumstances that way. This Thanksgiving be intentional about finding things to be thankful for, joyful for, and blessed by. Focus on the good, rather than the bad, reflect on what God has done for you in the midst of what has happened to you. Take time to prepare your heart for remembering the greatest reason to be thankful of all, the gift of Christ that we will celebrate over the next month at Christmas.

These two holidays really do go nicely together, if we separate what the world has made them into and focus on the true point of Thanksgiving and the real meaning of Christmas. Thanks be to God for His lovingkindness! Happy Thanksgiving!

New King James Version (NKJV)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.