According to the Apostle Paul, gratitude is more than a pumpkin-spice-feeling. It is a matter of obedience to the will of God.
Author and poet Wendell Berry put words into the mouth of a fictional, elderly widow named Hannah Coulter who, in addition to being a crackerjack farmhand when needed and probably making a great pie crust, also had a clear handle on her biblical theology:
“You mustn’t wish for another life. You mustn’t want to be somebody else. What you must do is this:
‘Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In everything give thanks.’
I am not all the way capable of so much, but those are the right instructions.” (Hannah Coulter, page 113)
In this season of gratitude and pumpkin lattes, I will be focusing on those “right instructions,” knowing full well that I, too, am “not all the way capable of so much.” And yet this business of obedience to the Spirit of God is not to be confused with Operation Bootstrap. It is, rather, an operation by which, “the very God of peace will sanctify me wholly” through purposeful rejoicing in what is given and a prayer life that images the inhale and exhale of breathing.
Rolling into the month of November, whether your greatest challenge is deciding between pumpkin and apple pie** on the day of the feast–or whether God is choosing this season to grow you through adversity, let’s return to the words of Paul in the way we turn to our recipe for fool-proof gravy, knowing that even though we are not “all the way capable,” the instructions are good, for they are absolutely true, and they are given to us with love:
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Giving thanks,
**P.S. My advice: Go for a small slice of each.
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I love the quote and I too, shall be focusing on the right instructions. Blessings!
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It’s really a road map for the following life. Every thanksgiving season, I try to renew my determination to live in gratitude.
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Living in gratitude definitely changes attitude. I shall have a slice of each! Wishing you a most blessed Thanksgiving season!
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I’ll probably do the same, and it’s going to get really complicated if I throw in lemon meringue this year.
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I read somewhere that thank you is one prayer that suffices for all moments.
Such a lovely share.
God bless 🙂
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Thank you is the prayer that I try to keep close to my heart and mind.
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Oh I just love Paul. Pray without ceasing.
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Amen!
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My aunt Doris used to cut a half a piece of each. She was only eating one piece of pie and got to enjoy a little of both! (Yeah, I like to eat!) I started listing 10 things I am thankful for as part of my devotions. (Food shows up on the list more than I care to admit. LOL)
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Isn’t it fun, though, to take note of all God’s goodness to us in the form of nourishment? He could have made everything bland and colorless…
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I love the variety of colors. I enjoy salads and like when they have all the colors of the rainbow in them.
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Making a habit of giving thanks really is heart and life changing!
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Completely transformational!
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Michele – this has just gotta be the best line ever –.’And yet this business of obedience to the Spirit of God is not to be confused with Operation Bootstrap.’
Amen! And once we start living gratefully, it soon becomes the air we breathe.
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And yet, I do find myself getting the two muddled, and somehow reaching for those bootstraps.
I’m breathing in lots of gratitude this month though, and it’s helpful in the extreme.
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I love that mention of Operation Bootstrap. It’s the opposite of how we raise kids to eventually not need to rely on us, to be able to stand on their own two feet. Spiritually, we mature as we become ever more dependent on Him.
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That’s for sure! Great point, Barbara.
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Thank you Michelle for your encouraging post! I know I need to revisit 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 regularly and it is especially fitting as we approach Thanksgiving. Blessings, Joy
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It’s wonderful to be surrounded by sign posts, pointing the way toward gratitude at this time of year!
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Yes, we all have the right instructions, don’t we? I’m not all the way capable either, but I will keep trying. Thanks for this sweet reminder! (I always choose pumpkin pie! 😉 )
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Funny, yes! Those instructions are abundantly clear and yet…
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Gratitude is the best prayer..
Such an awesome share
God bless 🙏 🙏 🙏
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Thanks, Ruby!
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I just re-read your post and realized how much I love Hannah’s words, “I am not all the way capable of so much, but those are the right instructions.”
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That sentence resonates so powerfully for me that I’ve got my copy of Hannah Coulter out for a reread very soon!
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Your post makes me think the month of November and the celebration of Thanksgiving was by no means an accident. It is in God’s plan to remind us of those words you share. Rejoice for who we are…because He made us. I am guilty of sometimes wishing for difference. Love how her quote is perfect as a reminder of who I am. Blessed, Chosen, Forgiven, Child of God. ~hugs~ for a great week ahead. 🙂
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Oh, yes, gratitude for the given is so often derailed by our restless longing for what has not been granted. Thank you for this good thought.
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Praise, prayer, and gratitude: habits that weave joy into every day! Thank you, Michele, for setting a goal of mind renewal as we approach Thanksgiving.
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Oh, that’s the truth! Even on this day when icy roads have shut down the world, there’s lots to be grateful for!
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…Michele, I hope that this was a special day for you!
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Thanks, Tom.
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Oh, I am much more of an apple pie girl than a pumpkin pie one. No deliberations are necessary for me! I love your concept of “purposeful rejoicing”. The verse from 1 Thessalonians is one of the most joyous in the Bible, in my opinion.
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May your season be apple-ful!
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This is one of my favorite posts from you. You lead me straight to the heart of Jesus, while reminding me who I am and what God wants for me (and from me.)
(**And I’m with you on the pie!)
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That’s so good to hear. This season always serves as a gratitude reset for me. We take so much for granted.
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What a great title, Michele. You sucked me in for a great post. laurensparks.net
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Well, I’m glad you did!
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Michele, I read this on Sunday and meant to get back and comment. I continue to make a book list of ones I have not read, but you know how that goes…so many books, so little time. Thank you for your post, it was most encouraging and I tried to like it but that option didn’t work.
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Yes, I sure do know how that goes!
Thanks for taking time to circle back with your input!
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What a great quote and verse! I need to read another Wendell Berry book, I tell so many people about Jayber Crow. Also, your advice is spot on 🙂 Happy (almost, but always) thanksgiving!
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Jayber and Hannah are among my favorite fictional teachers. I gain so much every time I read their stories.
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I’ll just take the apple pie and you can have my slice of the pumpkin pie. 🙂
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Ha! I know I’ve got some takers here at my table!
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Michele, I love this:
1. Rejoice evermore
2. Pray without ceasing
3. In everything give thanks
I’m making this the theme of my holiday!
Thanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements!
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Oh, that’s great, Patsy!
Gratitude changes everything.
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This also makes me think of the verse in Philippians 4:6-7 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer and thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will keep/guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
God bless!
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We certainly have been given “the instructions,” haven’t we! And now to follow…
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Hannah is so right. We must not wish for the life of another. Not only does it make us unhappy and dissatisfied, it causes us to envy. I am reading an interesting book about envy by Tilly Dillehey, Seeing Green: Don’t Let Envy Color Your Joy. She talks about rejoicing to combat envy. I love your metaphors, Michele.
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That sounds like a very important read. Thanks for sharing it here.
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Truly not the easiest thing to do, but it’s good to know that we serve a God who looks out for us always! Thanks for the reminder
My Corner of the World
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Thank you for sharing at #ThursdayFavoriteThings. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too!
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Gratitude has had a life changing impact on my life and I believe that it’s a must for living a contented life.
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I agree 100%!
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