The Transforming Power of Gratitude
In the small church where I grew up, the Wednesday evening prayer meeting the evening before Thanksgiving Day held special meaning for me. Its atmosphere was one of celebratory gratitude and quiet joy. As usual, we began by singing hymns from hardbacked hymnals. My Dad led the singing and often employed a practice of inviting someone to speak of their gratitude after each stanza.
Sometimes Dad’s requests were met with awkward silence and blank stares, but he remained undaunted. In such cases, we simply resumed the singing, paused after the next stanza as Dad repeated his request. Eventually, someone would speak vaguely of pleasant weather, good health, or a bountiful harvest. We would all nod in agreement and start singing again. By the next stanza, someone else would speak out, and then another. Someone would thank God for His provisions and another for His guidance or answered prayer. Others mentioned the blessings of freedom, the warmth of friends and family. It usually morphed into praise for our great salvation.
A tide of gratitude would begin to rise within us and overflow down our cheeks as we sang. The same group of people, who moments earlier were all silence and blank stares, were transformed into humble, grateful worshippers of God. As we paused and intentionally redirected our attention to the blessings of God, our focus shifted. As we voiced our thankfulness to God, the tide of gratitude rose within us. The transformation was astounding.
After the service, we exchanged handshakes, backslaps, and hugs. We bundled into our pickups, calling out “Happy Thanksgiving!” as our breath billowed up in the cold. As we returned home to our holiday preparations, something was different inside. Even as the holiday cooking went into full action, that same spirit remained. I mused over that transformation as I stirred the mounds of onions, celery and melting butter sizzling in the skillet. It lingered among us like the spicy warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg and wafted throughout our gathering with the homespun aroma of the baking rolls.
I also noticed how quickly it vanished. As mealtime approached, last-minute preparations and tensions mounted, the door opened for complaining or sarcasm. As often as someone complained about the workload or the mound of unwashed dishes, that tide of gratitude ebbed away. As we gathered about our laden table and Dad prayed, it rose among us once again. As the dishes passed, Dad often viewed the spread and those gathered, and softly spoke, “Thank you Lord” or a quiet “Amen”.
I marveled at how quickly that transformation came over us as often as we stopped our routines, focused on God’s blessings and spoke of them to one another. I found that as often as I did the same, that transformation remained within me and was not reserved for Thanksgiving Day.
This Thanksgiving Day, as you stir your own simmering skillets and familiar aromas rise to greet you--pause. Redirect your thoughts toward the blessings of God and speak of them to yourself and others. Even if your initial response is your own set of blank stares and awkward silence, keep offering thanks.
When you feel only grayness of soul or nondescript agitation, sing. Yes, sing. Keep singing praise to God and see what happens. We can thank Him for those same things our tiny congregation in that cold sanctuary—His provision, His guidance and constant presence and the gifts of freedom and the treasure of His word. As often as we recall where we were when He found us— when He rescued us from darkness and called us into His marvelous light, we can rejoice.
I invite you to enter this blessed and beautiful day of thanksgiving with the same spirit that marked our little congregation—celebratory gratitude and quiet joy. I invite you to consider your blessings, speak of them to one another and voice your thanks to God in prayer. I suspect that same gratitude will rise within you, overflow down your cheeks and you too, will be amazed at the transformation in those around you and within yourself as well.
Blessed Be the Name of the Lord! Happy Thanksgiving to you all.