I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
Philippians 4:12
November is always the month when we emphasize being thankful. It is a time of year that we set aside time, a whole day, to count our many blessings. This year has been a rough one. It has been so easy to complain about all the things this year. It has been a year full of annoyances, and constant change, from day to day, and week to week with very little constant in between. For some it has been a year of tragic loss. One thing though, is true for all of us: we can make the decision to focus on what is good and what we have to be grateful for.
As a lover of history I tend to think about the pilgrims at this time of year. Those brave people. They sailed across an ocean to a land of which little was known. They were scared- and with good reason. Yes, there were those who came to make a profit but it’s important to remember that the pilgrims were not part of this group. They came looking for the freedom to worship as they pleased. They braved treacherous oceans, possible attacks from native peoples and animals, sickness, and starvation.
They did all this for their faith. For their freedom. They felt that they had no other choices. They left their homeland, their families, and their way of life. Then they came to America and nearly starved. Almost half of them died that first winter. Still, they endured. The Native Americans helped the pilgrims. Then about a year after they had first landed on the soil of what we now call America, they came together, Pilgrim and Native American, and held a three day long celebration with the feasting we read about today.
The Pilgrims endured much for their faith. After that first winter they didn’t pack up and leave. They stuck it out for their faith. The lived out what Paul talks about in Philippians 4:12 when he says, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” So this Thanksgiving let’s not dwell on how much isn’t like we want it to be. Let’s remember the strong brave souls who have gone before us, let’s remember God’s promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Let’s gather as much as we are able with the friends and family closest to us, and give thanks to God for all of our many blessings.