Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~1 Thessalonians 5:18
Thanksgiving is upon us, a time during which Americans take a day to feast, count their blessings and give thanks. But what does thanksgiving mean and what are we celebrating? The word "thanksgiving" is defined by Dictionary.com as: the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgement of benefits or favors especially to God; an expression of thanks, especially to God; a public celebration in acknowledgement of divine favor or kindness; and a day set apart for giving thanks to God. Notice that every single definition contains a reference to giving thanks to God or divinity.
Most Americans know very little about the history and origins of the holiday we celebrate every year. Some point to the first Thanksgiving between the Pilgrims and the Wompenog Indian tribe. In 1620, the Pilgrims lost half of their colony due to disease and starvation due to challenges adapting to their new world. The Womenogs befriended them and taught them how to hunt, fish, plant, and harvest. One year later, after a bountiful harvest, the Pilgrims held a 3-day feast and festival in honor of what the Wompenogs had done for them. In New England, the Puritans celebrates Thanksgiving as a religious holiday, a day that took place after fasting and prayer to give thanks to God for bountiful harvests, victorious battles, and drought ending rains. It wasn't until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday in an attempt to promote unity immediately following the battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War but also the turning point of the war. Today, Americans celebrate with a turkey feast, watch the Macy's Day Parade followed by football, and kick off their Christmas shopping the day after on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year.
Scripture gives us a bit more insight into the true origins and meaning of Thanksgiving. Long before America existed and Jesus walked the earth, God's people adopted the tradition of giving thanks to their God for his provision and protection, answered prayer, and victory over their enemies. Some of their traditions included giving offerings, having feasts and celebrations, and singing songs for the purpose of giving thanks to God. In fact, many of the Psalms are specifically written for the purpose of giving thanks to God. The author (unknown) of Psalm 100 wrote, "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name! for the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever and his faithfulness to all generations."
Scripture tells us that Thanksgiving wasn't meant to just be a commercialized holiday that we celebrate one day a year. Thanksgiving is a permanent posture of the heart, or an "attitude of gratitude" toward God for everything. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:16, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Thanksgiving always, in all circumstances? That's a tough order, but one that we are called to as believers.
Why would Paul encourage us to give thanks in all circumstances? I believe it's because we get too caught up in our circumstances to see who God really is and what he is doing, or we allow our circumstances to influence our image of and feelings toward God. As the Psalmist of Psalm 100 wrote, the Lord is good and his steadfast love and faithfulness endure forever. Oftentimes, we can't see past our circumstances to really wrap our minds around those truths. But, if we take a "God view" of our circumstances, we can find blessings and learn to give thanks even in the midst of heartache, trials, suffering, and pain. For example, when we are having a rough day with our kids, we need to be thankful for them instead. When we feel stressed and overworked, we need to be grateful that we have work. When we are unhappy with our lot in life, we need to be thankful for the ways in which God has provided for us. When we have lost somebody we love, we must be grateful for the love we shared and the precious time we had with that person. When we go through a difficult trial, we need to consider the lessons learned and the fact that God loves us enough to teach us and refine our character.
We are human and we cannot begin to understand what God's plans are for our lives. But if we begin by reminding ourselves that God is good, he is faithful, his love endures forever (Psalm 100), and that he will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5) then we can begin to have a thankful heart in all circumstances. It is a choice as to how we view our circumstances, and it is up to us to find the blessings and choose gratitude. The Puritans provide a great model and one that we can easily follow by giving thanks to God for food, water, and the battles he has fought and won on our behalf. When we consistently give thanks, we will begin to see our circumstances in a new light and over time we will find purpose, meaning, and joy in everything.
