The True Event Behind Thanksgiving
Psalm 100:4
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”
The Pilgrim Story and God’s Providential Hand
The Thanksgiving holiday traces its roots to 1621, when the Pilgrims—having endured a brutal first winter, scarcity, sickness, and the constant uncertainty of survival—joined together with the Wampanoag tribe for a harvest feast. The world remembers the meal; the church must remember the God behind it.
These early believers did not gather merely because the crops came in. They gathered because God, in His mercy, preserved them when every earthly forecast predicted their extinction. Their thanksgiving was born from dependence—an acknowledgment that survival, provision, and hope itself came from the Lord.
Thanksgiving Was Always About God
For the Pilgrims, gratitude was not a cultural tradition but a spiritual mandate. Their journey was framed by Scripture, prayer, and covenant. What they celebrated was not abundance but God’s faithfulness.
Thanksgiving, in its origin, was not about family gatherings, parades, or meals. It was an altar of remembrance—an act of turning the heart toward the One who sustains all life. The Pilgrims thanked God not because everything was easy, but because He was faithful in hardship. This mirrors the biblical pattern:
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
—1 Thessalonians 5:18
Thanksgiving is not seasonal; it is spiritual. It is the posture of a redeemed heart.
Gratitude as a Weapon of Faith
In Scripture, gratitude is more than good manners—it is warfare. It pushes back against fear, doubt, anxiety, and unbelief. When we give thanks, we testify that God is our source, our shield, our Shepherd, and our sufficient provider.
The Pilgrims understood this. Their thanksgiving declared:
- God carried them across the ocean.
- God sustained them through winter.
- God taught them to plant in a strange land.
- God surrounded them with unexpected allies.
- God brought them through loss into renewed hope.
So it is today. True thanksgiving is a declaration of faith in a God who never fails His people.
Returning Thanksgiving to Its True Center
Our generation often celebrates Thanksgiving without remembering the God who gives every breath. But Scripture reminds us who deserves the praise:
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.”
—James 1:17
To restore Thanksgiving, Christians must restore the Giver to the center of the celebration. Gratitude must rise not only for the blessings we see but for the unseen grace that has preserved us through year after year.
A Call to True Thanksgiving
As you gather with loved ones, pause to give thanks for more than food, comfort, or company. Give thanks for:
- Salvation through Jesus Christ
- Daily mercy and renewed strength
- God’s protection through trials
- His provision even in times of lack
- The hope of eternal life
- The unchanging truth of His Word
The first Thanksgiving was a table of worship. Let ours be the same.
Conclusion
Thanksgiving is not merely a holiday—it is a witness of God’s goodness. Its origins remind us that believers have always been sustained by the Lord’s hand and called to give Him glory. When we give thanks, we testify that our lives are held, provided for, and directed by the sovereign God of Heaven. Let this season be more than tradition; let it be a return to worship.