wacky wednesday - thankful for that?

Americans have celebrated Thanksgiving since the 1620's as independent colonies and later as states but it wasn't until 1863 in the midst of the Civil War that President Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November. For about a hundred years it was a holiday where the entire family gathered together to remember good times, be thankful for all the blessings in their lives and maybe watch (or play) a little football.

I have watched our society, little by little, lose the meaning and tradition of the Thanksgiving holiday. Every year it gets harder to keep a heart filled with thanksgiving and gratitude. Hollywood tells us family is lame (Home Alone comes to mind). The media tells us that instead of being thankful we should be fearful (ISIS, racial unrest, Ebola, politics). Retailers tell us we don't have enough "stuff" and need to go shopping with millions of other people on Thanksgiving Day to get "good deals" and boost the retailers bottom line.

And that's just the everyday, average American with everyday, average problems. People who suffer with serious medical issues, are jobless or homeless, are struggling with serious relationship problems or a host of other concerns often don't feel thankful at all; they feel hopeless.

So how do we have "an attitude of gratitude" even when we feel lost, fearful or hopeless?

I think the Apostle Paul answers that question in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 when he says to "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." All three instructions (being joyful, praying and giving thanks) are intentional choices we make that, when done consistently, become habits that lead to an attitude of gratitude.

Be joyful always. That implies that no matter what our circumstance is, we can choose to be joyful. It is not an emotional reaction but a conscious decision. It starts by looking for the silver lining, by being optimistic instead of pessimistic. It is because we know the One who is in control of all things that we can choose joy over despair.

Pray continually. This doesn't mean we have to be on our knees with hands clasped 24/7. It means that our relationship with Christ is so personal, so intimate that we can talk to Him any time, anywhere - and we do. We bring all our concerns, worries, hopes and dreams to Him, the loving and omniscient God who cares about the details of our lives.

Give thanks in all circumstances. It's easy to be thankful when things go well but what about when they don't? This doesn't mean we thank God for everything that happens to us. Evil is not from God so we would not thank Him for that. But in every circumstance, we can thank God for His presence, for the good He will accomplish through our trial and distress, for His peace and strength that carries us through.

May your Thanksgiving Day (and every day!) be filled with heartfelt gratitude as you put the Apostle Paul's instructions into practice. Happy Thanksgiving!