This week marks the annual Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. Similar holidays are celebrated on different days in other countries: Canada, Germany, Japan, Austria, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, as well as unofficially in Brazil and the Philippines. A study of special thanksgiving days found that celebrations are also held in the Dutch city of Leiden and the Australian territory of Norfolk Island.
This raises some questions: If we celebrate Thanksgiving, what should we give thanks for? And who should we be grateful to? What if we live in a country where there is no established Thanksgiving holiday? Let's look at these questions separately, using the Bible as our guide.
What should we be grateful for? Sometimes we tend to pat ourselves on the back when we experience success and important achievements. Obviously this is true: we have worked hard to achieve certain goals thanks to our abilities. However, how did these opportunities come about? How did we acquire the innate talents and skills we use? We certainly didn't buy them from a mall or specialty store. In many cases, people are born with abilities that are useful for the work they do.
What about undesirable circumstances, hard times and adversity that you could not avoid? Should we be grateful for them too? My friend Albert, having gone through many difficult times personally and professionally, came to the conclusion that yes, we should be grateful even for the “bad” things, because God uses such circumstances for our highest good and His glory.
So, the Holy Scriptures teach: we should be grateful not only in good times, but also in difficult ones. Because the Lord uses them as part of His cleansing process for us. The Bible says, “Rejoice always... In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16, 18).
Who should we be grateful to? As noted above, in many cases we did not create the opportunities that led us to success and notable achievements. And the abilities and talents that were used were, in all likelihood, developed and refined over time and with practice, but the “primary material” was given by God.
That is why the Holy Scripture calls us: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teach and admonish one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:16-17).
What if Thanksgiving is not celebrated in the country where you live? Giving thanks or celebrating Thanksgiving does not require a national edict or local proclamation. This can and should be a natural response to the blessings we receive every day.
In fact, for those of us who believe what James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning,” our gratitude should be a daily occurrence. As the psalmist wrote: “...let my soul praise You and not be silent. Lord, my God! буду славить Тебя вечно» (Псалом 29:13).
© 2023. Robert J. Tamasi wrote Market Ambassadors: The Continuing Legacy of CBMC Evangelism and Discipleship; Business at its Best: Timeless Proverbial Wisdom for Today's Workplace; Finding Life with a Shepherd's Heart, co-authored with Ken Johnson; and The Heart of Mentoring, co-authored with David A. Stoddard. Bob's bi-weekly blog: www.bobtamasy.blogspot.com.
Questions for reflection/discussion
NOTE. If you have a Bible and want to read more, consider the following passages: Psalm 51:14-15; John 6:5-13; Romans 5:3–5, 8:28–39; 2 Corinthians 9:10-15; James 1:2-4
Difficult task
There are many ways to show and express gratitude. We can do this through prayer, biblical reflection, and the “advance” of giving others the blessings we ourselves have received. Another way to show gratitude is to express it to other people. Think of someone (or a small group of friends) with whom you can share what God has done and what you are grateful for. Perhaps even today.
