In our country’s short history, the brightest moments stand out against the dark backdrops.  The first Thanksgiving celebrated by the Pilgrims at Plymouth followed a winter where half the people died.  They called it “the starving time.”  Then, the spring planting failed. The crops that did grow suffered from lack of rain.  The young pilgrim governor, William Bradford tells what they did in this anxious time:

“In this great distress, “they set a part a solemn day of humiliation, to seek the Lord by humble & fervent prayer. And He was pleased to give them a gracious & speedy answer …. For all the morning, and greatest part of the day it was clear weather & very hot … yet toward evening it began … to rain with such sweet and gentle showers as gave them cause of rejoicing & blessing God. It came, without either wind, or thunder or any violence, and by degrees in that abundance, as that the earth was thoroughly wet and soaked therewith … and afterwards the Lord sent them such seasonable showers, with interchange of faire warm weather, as … caused a fruitful & liberal harvest. … For which mercy (in time convenient) they also set apart a day of Thanksgiving.”

Thanksgiving is always connected with prayer.  We are not thankful for random goodness, or luck, but for a God who is always near.  We might be entering “anxious days,” but God teaches us to be “anxious for nothing.”  Instead, we live by faith. 

• Faith looks like this: “let your requests be made known to God.”

• Faith also looks like this: keep going. 

The pilgrims kept going.  Rather than give up, they planted.  Rather than despair, they looked to God “by humble and fervent prayer.”  They followed the examples of Abraham, Moses, David, who learned step by step to trust in God.  Many have graduated from the same school of faith in which we are enrolled. 

During this Thanksgiving season, especially if your backdrop seems dark, take a step of faith and pray.  Cast your anxiety on God, because He cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7). 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)