Thanksgiving in July

Thanksgiving is one of those unusual holidays that we look forward to near the end of November. I mentioned that it is unusual because it’s about the only time we think about pilgrims. It is also when families get together mostly in the name of gorging themselves on food. Football games are often watched even if people are not interested in the teams playing. It’s tradition.

While there is nothing wrong with some of our Thanksgiving Day traditions, a better tradition would be to make every day a day of giving thanks. Today, as I continue my quotation series I want to focus on gratitude. Recent studies indicate that people who often express thankfulness have less illnesses, will live longer and are less likely to be depressed. While those things should not motivate us to be grateful, they are a benefit. People who are content and have proper perspective are most likely to show thankfulness.

Bonhoeffer said, “In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich”. Recently two friends from the church gave it to me. One surprised me with a unique baseball card that I had never seen and that may be very valuable someday. The other one gave his time by installing a dishwasher. If I had tried it myself there is no doubt a flood would have been involved. I was grateful to both men for their kind acts. In turn, I was thankful to the Lord for giving me friends like them. We should be grateful for friends. They make us rich.

Most Christians thank God several times a day for food. Jacqueline Winspear notes, “Grace isn’t a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It’s a way to live”. When we have been blessed and received grace it is fitting and proper to show gratitude always. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). The three commands found in these verses are interrelated. If we choose joy through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are more likely to keep on praying. And the more we pray the more we’re able to give thanks. We can even give thanks in difficult circumstances. God’s will for us is to have joy, pray, and give thanks - no matter what is going on around us.

According to Melody Beattie, “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow”. To give thanks in all circumstances is powerful because it helps keep things in perspective. Even a challenging past can make a person grateful because of the maturity and perseverance that our history brings. And in troubled times we can have peace when we are grateful and prayerful. And even if the future on this earth doesn’t look very bright, those who are in Christ again look ahead to a future that is brighter than we can imagine. No wonder God’s will includes us having gratitude.

The default attitude of many people is negativity and seeing the problems with things. A lot of folks find themselves whining about things great and small. An old German proverb says, “Instead of complaining that the rosebush is full of thorns, be happy that the thorn bush has roses”. Gratitude is an attitude that involves a choice. Although a dozen roses do not last long, we can enjoy them and their scent as long as they do.

I love how Jerry Bridges puts it. “Thankfulness to God is a recognition that God in his goodness and faithfulness has provided for us and cared for us, both physically and spiritually. It is a recognition that we are totally dependent upon him; that all that we are and have come from God”. When you think about it there is much more to thank him for than our food, as much as we certainly need that and enjoy it. God really is good and displays his faithfulness to us as he has to each generation before us. God cares for us and meets our spiritual and physical needs. We are dependent on him and that’s a good place to be. When we recognize these truths, we are in a position where we naturally want to thank God.

Gratitude is a remedy for some of the things that ail us and tend to characterize us. John MacArthur writes, “A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer. It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry. And it helps fortify the believers trust in the Lord and reliance on his provision, even in the toughest times. No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer’s heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord”.

I will close with three verses that hopefully serve as food for thought as you think about thanksgiving in July. Thanks for reading. Perhaps you can pause to give thanks for your many blessings before you move on to the next thing.

Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:19-20).

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6).

Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts and always be thankful. (Colossians 3:15).