Thanksgiving is a holiday – named after a process. But our modern version innocently leaves out a critical element, missing the main benefit. The obvious benefit to thanksgiving is happiness, as goes the traditional wisdom, “gratefulness is the key to happiness.” We all know it’s true - have you ever known any truly grateful people who were also unhappy? Genuine gratitude is the fuel for genuine happiness. So if we’re truly grateful, why do we struggle so much with unhappiness? Answer - we leave out the main thing.
Picture this - at Thanksgiving, we go around the room each sharing a thing or two for which we are thankful. And no matter who you are – there is always something. One friend commonly thanks God for the thermostat on the wall by which they can set the temperature in the house to any level at any time. A rare privilege not to be overlooked indeed! For all our years in Russia, the temperature in our apartment was set by the Russian government regulating centralized steam plants to power a legion of radiators, only fired up each year after three days of freezing weather. We were thankful for those radiators!
One honest mistake we can make is to think we are grateful because we HAVE: a family or a job or a car or health or a house or whatever it is. What if we feel like we HAVE NOT?! What if the grief through loss or lack of those things feels dominant? If I only had x or y or z (like him or her), THEN I could be grateful.
But the main and critical mistake is our gratitude FOR is missing a step. “I am thankful for health” leaves out the critical TO - “to God.” In other words, the main ingredient in gratitude is not stuff we have or the situation we are in, but God Himself, experienced through our faith in God – which we all can have! We are grateful in a practical, felt way to have something like a job or a house or a child, sure. But ultimately, we are thankful to God for God - that He is caring for us, regardless of His method, timing or provision. Mainly, I am always grateful that God is overseeing the universe and my life with His vigilant, loving care. At the moment, He may have chosen to do that through providing a job (and we are thankful). He may care for us in the future by taking that job and deepening our faith and/or skill and reveal (or not) some other benefit. In this case, we could still be grateful because nothing has changed ultimately – God is still caring for us. The Pilgrims well understood this.
The first Pilgrim Thanksgiving was celebrated in the fall of 1621. 104 Pilgrims had landed at Plymouth in December 1620. That first winter was devastating. Governor William Bradford recorded in his journal that at nearly half of them died – and they buried the dead at night without ceremony to hide their weakening numbers from the Native Americans. At one point there were only seven healthy enough to feed and care for the sick. One of the Native Americans, Squanto, took pity on them and trained them in survival skills. They survived the winter, and by the fall they had a plentiful harvest. It was in this context of near annihilation that Bradford decreed a three-day celebration including feasting, games and worship services – to honor the “goodness of God.” Wow. (What would we have done?)
Paul says it this way: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Phil 4:12,13) So Paul says the “secret” ingredient to contentment in life is this – faith in God, Who provides strength in all situations because we are confident of His love. “And we know (not “suspect” but “know”) that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
No one understood gratitude TO more than George Washington. In the aftermath of incredible losses in the Revolution, at the conclusion of the historic first Federal Congress when the American nation was still being challenged, on Oct 3, 1789, Washington issued a proclamation in his role as President, to set aside the last Thursday in November as a day of “public thanksgiving and prayer…to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be…and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions.” (Read full text below, and find it here in the National Archives.) Note how Washington doesn’t merely give thanks for blessings, but to God for His sovereign and gracious care.
So the real power of gratitude for happiness is unlocked when the equation goes from “I > am thankful > for that” to “I > am thankful > to God > for that.” So when “that” changes – our faith in God and His goodness will protect our gratitude – and our joy in Christ. Though it feels different, the truth is, the one who has God only, has no less than he who has God and all the world.
Cause let me tell you a secret about those happy grateful people – they don’t have any more blessings or any fewer troubles than you. It’s true! I know because I have been on both sides. Without God in the equation, we can complain in both plenty and want (amazing isn’t it?). But with God in the equation – we can be grateful (and yes, deeply joyful) in both plenty and want, since they are both expressions of God’s goodness to us in different ways, for those who have eyes to see.
I am not saying we should never weep – of course there is a time to mourn. Those first Pilgrims grieved the loss of their family members. But with them, we know and can be grateful to Him that even in the valley of the shadow of death – He is with us to comfort and guide.
So at the Thanksgiving table this year – be thankful for the food and family and friends and your fishing rod and the thermostat (or perhaps something “bad” in which God also shows His grace) – but whatever “it” is – may your gratitude for it flow from your faith in God and be aimed at the Giver more than the gift. This, my friends, is a house built on the rock. The wind and rains will come, but that house will stand.
“Because of the LORD'S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’” (Lam 3:22-24)
“Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all.” (II Thess 3:16)
Happy Thanksgiving (to God) to all!
FULL TEXT: On October 3, 1789, President George Washington issued this proclamation:
By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Go: Washington
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