An Attitude of Gratitude
I Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)Because Thanksgiving is near, we become more aware of being thankful at this time of year. People often wonder, “what is God’s will for me?” Well, this verse tells us: God’s will for all of us is to be joyful always, pray continually and give thanks in all things. There will be difficult times in all of our lives. But we’re told to give thanks in all things, not most or some, but all.
That is hard to do sometimes, isn’t it? We often don’t understand God’s purpose when He allows us to go through difficult experiences. But, no matter what comes our way, He wants us to develop an “attitude of gratitude." One way to do that is to be inspired by the examples of other Christians. We can learn much from the example the Pilgrims gave us as they settled this country. We learn a little about them in history books, but I find it very exciting to hear the story in their own words.
One of the early Pilgrim governors, William Bradford, wrote a diary. Reading his words helps me understand the great sacrifices the Pilgrims made to settle our country. As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, let it be with grateful hearts as we count our many blessings!
The year is 1620. The Pilgrims have just landed after a couple of months at sea on a leaking boat that had been tossed about so severely in storms that one of the main beams had bent and cracked.
“Having found a good haven & being brought safely in sight of land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries of it, again to set their feet upon the firm and stable earth.
“But here I must pause, and stand half amazed at this poor people’s present condition; and so I think will the reader, too, when he considers it well. Having thus passed the vast ocean, … they now had no friends to welcome them, nor inns to refresh their weather-beaten bodies, nor houses, much less towns, to repair to.
“As for the season, it was winter, and those who have experienced the winters of the country know them to be sharp and severe, and subject to fierce storms, when it is dangerous to travel to known places, - much more to search an unknown coast. Besides, what could they see but a desolate wilderness, full of wild beasts and wild men; and what multitude there might be of them they knew not!
“What now could sustain them but the spirit of God, and His grace? Ought not the children of their fathers rightly say: Our fathers were Englishmen who came over the great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice, and looked on their adversity… Let them therefore praise the Lord, because He is good, and His mercies endure forever."
They had to build lean-tos and whatever sort of rustic shelter they could manage for that first winter. Only one person had died on the voyage over, but listen to William Bradford as he continues his account a few months later:
“Soon a most lamentable blow fell upon them. In 2 or 3 months’ time, half of their company died, partly owing to the severity of the winter, especially during January & February, and the want of houses and other comforts; partly to scurvy and other diseases, which their long voyage and their incommodious quarters had brought upon them. Of all the hundred odd persons, scarcely 50 remained, and sometimes 2 or 3 persons died in a day. In the time of worst distress, there were but 6 or 7 sound persons. They spared no pains night or day, but with great toil and at the risk of their own health, fetched wood, made fires, prepared food for the sick, made their beds, washed their infected clothes, dressed and undressed them; in a word did all the homely and necessary services for them which dainty and queasy stomachs cannot endure to hear mentioned. And all this they did willingly and cheerfully, without the least grudging, showing their love to the friends and brethren, a rare example and worthy to be remembered.
“They cherished a great hope and inward zeal of laying good foundations… for the propagation and advance of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in the remote parts of the world, even though they should be but stepping stones to others in the performance of so great a work.
“Thus out of small beginnings, greater things have grown by His hand Who made all things out of nothing, and gives being to all things that are: and as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light enkindled here has shone to many, yea, in a sense our whole nation; let the glorious name of Jehovah have all the praise.”
To read all of William Bradford’s diary, type “William Bradford” in the search box on the left. That will take you to “Of Plymouth Plantation” which can be purchased from Christian Book Distributors. An inspiring book for the whole family!
Copyright, 2007, Laurie Latour.
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