Thanksgiving: God's Goodness Devotional

Read This: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his loyal love endures! Let those delivered by the Lord speak out, those whom he delivered from the power of the enemy, and gathered from foreign lands, from east and west, from north and south. They wandered through the wilderness on a desert road; they found no city in which to live. They were hungry and thirsty; they fainted from exhaustion. They cried out to the Lord in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles.” (Psalm 107:1-6)

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Think: Sometimes it’s hard to believe in the goodness of God. For many, holidays like Thanksgiving are not necessarily a time when it's easy to give thanks, but can be a painful reminder of what is not. Families aren’t always the way God created them to be. Maybe someone is sick or maybe someone isn't with you this year. Maybe the economic crisis has hit close to home. The busyness and chaos of the holiday season officially kicks off, adding even more stress. There are countless reasons why this “bountiful feast” can feel more like an “unbearable beast.”

For all that Thanksgiving brings with it, there is one fact that remains unchanged year in and year out: God’s goodness. The Greek word for goodness is agathosune. It describes an active goodness. God seeks to do good things because it is in His very nature to do so. He wants to bless us, embrace us, and care for us. He longs to show His goodness to us.

Whatever your circumstances this season, do not doubt God’s goodness towards you. Sometimes He allows us to go through difficulties, but He does not leave us alone in them. His promises never fail. As the passage above states, He is good and will bring you through.

This Thanksgiving, in the midst of turkey, pie, football, and gatherings, don’t forget to take some time treasuring God’s goodness to you. Thank Him, praise Him, and “let those delivered by the Lord speak out.”

Ask: Goodness is one of the fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22. How can you reflect God’s goodness to others?

Pray: Spend time thanking God for his goodness to you, asking Him to bring to mind specific situations you might have overlooked.