Thanksgiving Day sometimes feels like an eroding monument to simplicity and Biblical values, standing tall amid the prevailing winds of entitlement and discontent. Shopping ferocity manhandles sentimentality, and most Americans probably feel more thankful one month later, rifling through presents and splurging on gift cards. These are my opinions, and they are certainly debatable. My greatest conviction, however, is an indisputable matter of the heart. My heart, at least.

The Thanksgiving holiday, historically rooted in gratitude for our divine creator, nudges me toward two pointed questions: Am I a thankful Christian? And, if so, why do ordinary stresses so easily knock off balance my attitude of praise?

The Apostle Paul, in his every epistle, encourages believers to give thanks to God, no matter the circumstance. And this from a man who’d been beaten and shipwrecked and left to languish in the harshest of prisons. For Paul, literally nothing diminished his gratitude, and he left no doubt that continuous thanksgiving—beyond any hardship—was natural and expected for those saved by Christ. Christians are always to be thankful, because God is always worthy.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, in all times and circumstances, you are worthy of my praise. Thank you for loving me, forgiving me, and making a way for me to spend eternity in Heaven through faith in Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Use the joys and the challenges of this holiday season to mature my faith and remind me how very blessed I am in You. Always and forever. Amen