Does it feel like this year has given you little to be thankful for at Thanksgiving?
Between a pandemic, isolation, injustice, unrest, and the cancellation/postponement of seemingly just about everything, 2020 has caused anxiety, disappointment, and discontentment for many people. Instead of counting our blessings, we tend to focus on the number of things that have gone wrong.
However, God’s Word tells us to “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). That’s in all circumstances, not for all circumstances. Even if your current situation doesn’t look the way you had hoped it would, there are still many things that you can (and should) be thankful for. In fact, our losses can help remind us of gifts we often take for granted, making us more grateful for all we have been given. Every good thing comes from the Father (James 1:17), and gratitude helps us fully enjoy those gifts.
This Thanksgiving, please take a few minutes to reflect on just some of the things from the past year that you have to be thankful for. Download our “20 Reasons to Give Thanks” worksheet and jot down at least one item in each category. Share it with your family, so you can remind each other of God’s goodness and be encouraged that He is still at work in every circumstance (Romans 8:28). While you are at it, check out our 15 Verses on Thankfulness to learn more about what God’s Word has to say about gratitude.
