Fighting with Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was not always an annual event growing up. Sometimes, it occurred multiple times a year. I'm not talking about running around to three different houses and suffering through one too many meals to appease loved ones. At our house, Thanksgiving was often deployed as a defensive weapon to guard our peace and joy.

When things were particularly difficult for our family, and discouragement was at an all-time high, my mom would put on praise music--or Christmas music--go into the kitchen, and make a small Thanksgiving dinner, just for the three of us. We prayed, thanked God, and enjoyed our time together over a celebratory meal, during times when celebrating made no sense at all.

I didn't keep score, so I can't honestly tell you that things always turned around for us right after one of those impromptu Thanksgivings, but changing our outer circumstances wasn't the point. The point was to help us refocus our thoughts on God, on Who He is and what He has done, rather than on hopelessness and fear; to encourage each other to hold onto God's peace and joy, rather than give into despair because of our demoralizing circumstances. It was a physical reminder of spiritual principles:

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Celebrating God in times of trouble and giving thanks for what He has done and brought us through gave us the fortitude to face whatever we were dealing with, and continue to fight despair from a place of gratitude. By having this meal together, we were standing in agreement that God was the Lord of our house, no matter what was going on outside of it. We were better able to keep our gaze on God's goodness as we put our cases before Him, understanding that He sees things we can't, and knows things that we don't. And even if our circumstances never got better, God was still good, and we still chose Him.

I encourage you to combat the despair that can creep in during the holiday season by bringing these thoughts to the table with you at your official--and unofficial--Thanksgiving this year. Everything else around us may be in an ever-changing state of turmoil, but our God is Faithful and True; the Rock of our salvation. He has loved you with an everlasting love. He keeps His word. He never changes. Those truths are absolutely worth celebrating with thanksgiving.