1 Thessalonians 5:18
“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Autumn is now in full swing with cooler weather, a time change, and thoughts and plans for the holidays becoming more of a reality. With the change of season, are you one who longs for all that it offers: cozy nights by the fire, comfort foods simmering in the crockpot, the smell of cinnamon in baked goods fresh out of the oven, pumpkin spice everything? Perhaps you are already pondering the menu for your Thanksgiving gathering, tablescapes, and seating arrangements. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the planning that we forget to pause to reflect on this season with a renewed sense of wonder and gratitude to the One who provides everything. The One who is deserving of our thanksgiving. With that in mind, as we look forward to observing a day of Thanksgiving on November 27, may I encourage you, dear readers, to think of ways you can focus your hearts, plans, priorities, and prayers on the One who provides and blesses us, not just one day a year, but all year long.
Many consider Thanksgiving to be their favorite holiday, joining with family and perhaps friends to share and enjoy an abundant array of God’s bounty. Though most of us don’t have land from which we gather a harvest, we do fill our shopping carts with family favorites, and dust off the recipes, all in preparation for the big day—a day to offer Thanksgiving to God above for His faithful provision. But is the fourth Thursday in November the only day you offer gratitude?
The Lord impressed upon me a couple of years ago that, rather than commemorating Thanksgiving just one day or two in the month, I should set aside the entire month of November’s devotions dedicated to the subject of Thanksgiving. Little did I know that He would begin the process of preparing my heart long before November arrived by pointing me to materials to use for personal study that enhanced my knowledge, offered new insights, and convicted my heart. But God was up to so much more in this preparation process, and He knew all along that I would need a heart attitude of thanksgiving and gratitude. In the Fall of that year, a sudden illness gripped me, but I experienced His provision for every physical need, as well as a spiritual preparation that took place in my heart that He had begun long before I became ill. This year, another infirmity has challenged me physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The lessons learned from the past have been comforting reminders that approaching Him daily with a heart of gratitude and thanking Him “in everything” draws me closer to Jesus during painful and uncertain times. Thus, dedicating the entire month of November to offering my thanks to Him is now a loving act of devotion, not merely a habit.
I do hope you will join me this month as we spend time preparing our hearts by focusing on our thanksgiving and gratitude to God for:
• Who He is
• His Attributes
• His Blessings
• His Provision
On occasion, I will deviate from the series, including Sundays, when the focus will be on prayer and praise. Let us offer our praise and thanksgiving to the God Who is worthy of all praise and thanksgiving, and still sits on His throne.
Dear heavenly Father, we offer our thanksgiving to You for how You orchestrate circumstances in our lives that work for our good. Life isn’t perfect, but You are. As we look forward to this Autumn season and Thanksgiving Day, prepare our hearts to have an attitude of gratitude for all the ways You show us Your beauty, Your care for us, and Your provision. We offer our thanksgiving today, and pray that all we say and do would bring honor and glory to You. Amen.
I am honored that you have read my devotion today and pray it is an encouragement to you and glorifies God. To receive Devotions For all Reasons in your email every day, go to https://devotionsforallreasons.com and simply click on “Subscribe.”
