This may be an unusual Thanksgiving Day for many people. With the warnings about the COVID virus a lot of family events are being scaled back or even cancelled.   Remember, this is a change in the method of celebration but not of the celebration itself.  It is still a day set aside to give thanks to God. Recall what Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica in 1 Thessalonians 5:18:  “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  Is that a tough command? Is it a difficult verse to follow?  Not really.

 

You see, we are commanded to give thanks in all circumstances, not for all circumstances.  I wouldn’t dare tell you to give thanks that your family can’t get together like usual; that’s kind of a sad thing.  But I can tell you that, as you reflect on the goodness and mercy of God, you can find a lot of things to sincerely thank Him for on that day.   I’m not going to list a lot things because each of us have different things for which to be thankful. The key is to actively look for reasons to give thanks.

 

We, too often, take so many things for granted.  We are so blessed that we get used to it and therefore overlook it.  And sometimes, we come to the conclusion that we deserve some of the blessings we enjoy and quite frankly do not look on them as a blessing from God but, rather, as a payment we are due.  In other words…God owes us.  I heard a minister tell someone “God doesn’t owe us…He owns us”. Such a true statement.  Knowing that, we should be thankful for a lot of things.

 

Hopefully, your Thanksgiving Day plans with family and friends haven’t changed, but even if they have, recall all the things in life you have to be thankful for.  Put you mind on the goodness around you.  In whatever situation you find yourself in…give thanks to God!