Thanksgiving is a season of gratitude.

But it’s more than a feeling. It’s more than a table of food. It’s a transformational viewpoint. In other words, gratitude changes or transforms how we look at the world and how we see ourselves in that world.

Ephesians 2:10 reminds us: We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.

That means the good we do — it’s not random. It’s not wasted. And it’s not unnoticed. It’s been prepared. Planned. Positioned by God himself.

And when you look closely at every good deed, you’ll find something behind it. A person, a sacrifice, a gift, a prayer, a decision to show up, to step in, to stay faithful.

Behind every good deed at Lutheran Church Charities, there’s a story. There’s a supporter. There’s a servant. And ultimately, behind it all, there’s the Savior.

So this Thanksgiving, take time to look around. Peek behind every good deed you remember. And when you do, you’ll find more to be grateful for than you even imagined.

Prayer
Gracious God, thank You for every good thing You’ve done in our lives. Thank You for working in us, through us, and sometimes even despite us. Help us see with grateful eyes so that we see the deed. But we also see and celebrate the people who are behind those good deeds. And let us never miss You, the One ultimately behind every good deed. Please let our lives reflect Your love in every word, every action, every day, in Jesus’s name. Amen.

ITTT