Thanksgiving: More Than Just One Day a Year
A Little Bit of Bible Back Ground
I love Thanksgiving. I think it would be safe to say that it is my favorite day of the year filled with lots of good food, family, and wonderful childhood memories. I love the smells of turkey, mash potatoes, gravy, and pumpkin pie as it mingles in the air and I love to eat!! I love that we, as American's, set aside an entire day to be thankful but have always thought it odd that it was just one day! One day to remember all that God has done for us, when the Bible says we are to be "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20). Now, I am not saying there is anything wrong with setting one day aside for praising God, even in the Bible they had a special celebration for giving thanks. The Jewish celebration was known as the Feast of Booths and lasted 8 days rather than one, but the premise is very similar (Zechariah 14:16-20). During this Feast the Israelites sang songs of Praise to God (often Psalm 118) and took part in sacrifices to thank God, not only for a bountiful harvest but also for bringing them to Canaan (the Promise Land). What the Pilgrims simply did was condense this 8 day long celebration to a one day feast in which they also read the Bible and sang praise to God for bringing them through that first terrible year in the New World. So the idea of setting aside a specific time for thanking God is based in the Bible but my concern is more with what we do with the rest of the year.
The Facebook Experiment
If you have been sucked in to the world of Facebook, then you are likely aware of the "Month of Thanksgiving" in which we are encouraged to post what we are thankful for each day in the month of November. For some, finding something to praise God for everyday is not a difficult task, but others seem to struggle with the concept. Really, it is a sort of experiment in the true thankfulness of a human heart. And yes, I participate in this little "experiment" because I believe there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for, no matter life's situations, and trust me, I've been through some hard ones. But to many, the end of November marks the end of daily praise and for some, public praise altogether. Even during the same month, you will see many people who post what they are thankful for, only to turn around in a few minutes and complain how hard their life is. This is particularly true for younger people who still carry the concept that life revolves around them. Complaining is also "normal" to a certain extent because we need to get out our frustrations at some point but when it becomes more of a habit than praise, that is a true problem.
True Thanksgiving
As I mentioned earlier, I do not think there is anything necessarily wrong with setting aside a special day or set of days, to thank God, but how many of us participate in true thanksgiving. I know that even many Christians get caught up in the care of the world and allow them to pull them away from the habit of thanking God. Really, just as the Israelites got into the habit of whining in the desert (Exodus), we all can get into the habit of whining in our personal deserts. When the world looks bleak, we become frustrated and, sadly, many begin to blame God for the difficulties, rather than thanking Him for what He has and will do for us. To me, this is true thanksgiving, the ability to praise God and to focus on Him when we feel like doing the exact opposite. When we feel like crawling under the blankets and hiding from the world, this is when we need to humble ourselves before God and give Him thanks because we know we always have hope in Him. True thanksgiving is thanks that comes from a humble and meek heart that recognizes that yes, things may be bad now, but that God can and will see us through (HE PROMISED). It is also accepting that He may not bring us through in the way we had hoped but in a way that serves His purposes (see Romans 8:28).
Intentionally Look
Fifteen years ago, when our newborn baby girl died from Potter's Syndrome, it was very difficult to find things to be thankful for. I was hurting and there seemed to be no relief from that hurt but through that pain I learned something. The lesson was hard learned but it is rather simple: intentionally look (everyday) for something to thank God for. It does not need to be something huge or miraculous but it can be something seemingly mundane or even unpleasant. An example of this in my life would be thanking God for my depression because I have learned so much from it and I know He can (and will) use it for His purposes. It doesn't really matter what it is, as long as you go to Him with sincerely thankful heart. Remember, every thing we have, every moment we live, and even every single breath we take, is a valuable and precious gift from God and He only gives us the best (Luke 11:13). So go ahead and enjoy your Thanksgiving day with its delicious foods, football games, and time spent with family. Use it as a day to praise God for all the wonderful things He does for us but DON'T forget to praise Him the other 364 days in the year.
I love Thanksgiving. I think it would be safe to say that it is my favorite day of the year filled with lots of good food, family, and wonderful childhood memories. I love the smells of turkey, mash potatoes, gravy, and pumpkin pie as it mingles in the air and I love to eat!! I love that we, as American's, set aside an entire day to be thankful but have always thought it odd that it was just one day! One day to remember all that God has done for us, when the Bible says we are to be "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:20). Now, I am not saying there is anything wrong with setting one day aside for praising God, even in the Bible they had a special celebration for giving thanks. The Jewish celebration was known as the Feast of Booths and lasted 8 days rather than one, but the premise is very similar (Zechariah 14:16-20). During this Feast the Israelites sang songs of Praise to God (often Psalm 118) and took part in sacrifices to thank God, not only for a bountiful harvest but also for bringing them to Canaan (the Promise Land). What the Pilgrims simply did was condense this 8 day long celebration to a one day feast in which they also read the Bible and sang praise to God for bringing them through that first terrible year in the New World. So the idea of setting aside a specific time for thanking God is based in the Bible but my concern is more with what we do with the rest of the year.
The Facebook Experiment
If you have been sucked in to the world of Facebook, then you are likely aware of the "Month of Thanksgiving" in which we are encouraged to post what we are thankful for each day in the month of November. For some, finding something to praise God for everyday is not a difficult task, but others seem to struggle with the concept. Really, it is a sort of experiment in the true thankfulness of a human heart. And yes, I participate in this little "experiment" because I believe there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for, no matter life's situations, and trust me, I've been through some hard ones. But to many, the end of November marks the end of daily praise and for some, public praise altogether. Even during the same month, you will see many people who post what they are thankful for, only to turn around in a few minutes and complain how hard their life is. This is particularly true for younger people who still carry the concept that life revolves around them. Complaining is also "normal" to a certain extent because we need to get out our frustrations at some point but when it becomes more of a habit than praise, that is a true problem.
True Thanksgiving
As I mentioned earlier, I do not think there is anything necessarily wrong with setting aside a special day or set of days, to thank God, but how many of us participate in true thanksgiving. I know that even many Christians get caught up in the care of the world and allow them to pull them away from the habit of thanking God. Really, just as the Israelites got into the habit of whining in the desert (Exodus), we all can get into the habit of whining in our personal deserts. When the world looks bleak, we become frustrated and, sadly, many begin to blame God for the difficulties, rather than thanking Him for what He has and will do for us. To me, this is true thanksgiving, the ability to praise God and to focus on Him when we feel like doing the exact opposite. When we feel like crawling under the blankets and hiding from the world, this is when we need to humble ourselves before God and give Him thanks because we know we always have hope in Him. True thanksgiving is thanks that comes from a humble and meek heart that recognizes that yes, things may be bad now, but that God can and will see us through (HE PROMISED). It is also accepting that He may not bring us through in the way we had hoped but in a way that serves His purposes (see Romans 8:28).
Intentionally Look
Fifteen years ago, when our newborn baby girl died from Potter's Syndrome, it was very difficult to find things to be thankful for. I was hurting and there seemed to be no relief from that hurt but through that pain I learned something. The lesson was hard learned but it is rather simple: intentionally look (everyday) for something to thank God for. It does not need to be something huge or miraculous but it can be something seemingly mundane or even unpleasant. An example of this in my life would be thanking God for my depression because I have learned so much from it and I know He can (and will) use it for His purposes. It doesn't really matter what it is, as long as you go to Him with sincerely thankful heart. Remember, every thing we have, every moment we live, and even every single breath we take, is a valuable and precious gift from God and He only gives us the best (Luke 11:13). So go ahead and enjoy your Thanksgiving day with its delicious foods, football games, and time spent with family. Use it as a day to praise God for all the wonderful things He does for us but DON'T forget to praise Him the other 364 days in the year.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU!
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