As we enter into this last chapter of fall in our part of the world, the leaves are in their final stages of letting go and the haze that accompanies humid days has broken to offer a blissfully blue sky. But, as the temperatures have dropped in recent weeks resembling more of a winter tone than fall, are you starting to feel like we’ve jumped a season? Are we already snowflakes swirling in the winter air, becoming tossed about by the whipping wind?
Without intentionality, it can become so easy to find ourselves in such a state of busyness and a flurry of activity that we can sweep past the holidays in a state of complete hustle and bustle. I’ve written about this before, because – quite frankly, I have to continue to remind myself to slow down and savor each blessed day.
Next week, we will celebrate Thanksgiving, the holiday that seems to appear oh-so-quickly after October and be rapidly proceeded by Christmas decorations and packed schedules. At times, the day can come and go in my life so quickly without the fanfare it deserves.
As such, I have to remind myself that Thanksgiving can become much more than one day of celebration and gratitude. Thanksgiving can become a dominant attitude in our lives, yielding a posture that leads to a way of being.
It can be so difficult at times, can it not? How often is a spirit of thanksgiving our go-to response when we face heartbreak, hardship, illness, relational strain, or even the minor frustrations of life? In the trials of life, an “attitude of gratitude” can feel better suited for a coffee mug than a conscious lifestyle.
But, what may happen if we began to rethink of our framework for dealing with life’s difficulties through a lens of gratitude? I’ve experienced beautiful seasons of life. I’ve also stared down intense suffering. But, here’s what I’ve learned: in each of these seasons, I have always had something to be grateful for and someone to be grateful to.
The Apostle Paul writes in Colossians 3:15-17, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
I recognize that for each person reading this today, we are all going to have a very unique Thanksgiving experience. Some of us may be dining at a home bursting at the seams with people. For many, Thanksgiving this year will be a day filled with joy and celebration!
Others of us may be joining a small, but festive gathering. Several of us may be dining as a solo individual. Others may be in a crowded space, but still feel so very alone in this season.
Some of those among us are grieving a loss, and staring at the place setting of someone who has gone before us. This is particularly true for me this Thanksgiving. For each of these aforementioned circumstances, I am praying over you.
Whether we enter the Thanksgiving table with a heart of joy or a heart of sorrow, what may happen if each of us approach the day with a heart filled with the overwhelming peace of Jesus? What if we lift up our blessings with such fervor, that our gratefulness spills over not into just this one meal; what if we begin cultivating a spirit of thanks that is carried with us into the days ahead?
As Paul states, we can approach our days “whether in word or deed” in the name of the Father. How can this help us reframe our entrance into this holiday season? As we prepare our hearts for the days ahead, it is my prayer we incorporate thanksgiving into all our days.
Rooted in Grace and Grit 