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As the week of Thanksgiving approaches, no doubt many of us are preparing for the time we get to spend with friends, family, or church family. Whether you look forward to seeing that “estranged” uncle or not, this week is always a special time to look back and intentionally thank the Lord for all that He has done for us and through us within the past year. His kindness toward us, the blessings of loved ones He has given us, and even the things we take for granted daily—like food and shelter—are reminders of His goodness. All in all, this time of year helps us slow down and truly take time to thank God for how good He has been to us.

But although these are wonderful things to thank God for—family, food, a home, a job, etc.—I fear that, in my own life, I can make these tangible blessings the core reason for why I’m thankful, rather than rooting my thankfulness in the simple yet profound fact that God is good. Regardless of what I do or don’t have, because God’s very nature is good, I have more than enough reason to be thankful. And although tangible blessings help stir our gratitude toward our Savior, they should never be what our gratitude hinges on. Rather, our attitude and motivation to be thankful should rest on God’s character—His mercy and His goodness—regardless of the “blessings” we do or don’t have.

Often in Scripture, we see praise and thanksgiving offered to God simply because He is good and merciful. That’s it—not because He gives everything we ever wanted, but because His character deserves thanksgiving. Psalm 107:1, Psalm 118:1, Psalm 136:1, and 1 Chronicles 16:34 all declare the same truth:

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.”

These passages show us that although we should thank the Lord for the blessings He graciously gives, our ultimate reason and motivation for living with a thankful heart should be rooted in His goodness and mercy that He shows us daily. We should never base our thankfulness on what we have, but rather on the unchanging truth that God is—and will always be—good in every season, whether in blessing or in lack.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, whether this is a joyful or difficult time for you—whether you feel as if you couldn’t be more blessed or wish things were different—let’s be people who root our thankfulness not in “blessings,” but in the nature of God’s goodness and mercy in both “blessed” and “unblessed” times.

Serving Together,

Bro. Luke