Let’s Continue to Talk Turkey: We Still Have Much to Be Thankful For

Throughout the Bible we are encouraged to count our blessings:

“I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart;

I will tell of all Your wonders” (Psalm 9:1 NASB).

As Americans, we have more reasons than most to be thankful.  Yet even though we are blessed to live in the greatest country, anxiety seems to be more common than thankfulness.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.  Social media is frequently credited with the current rise in anxiety and depression:

Among teens who use social media the most (more than five hours a day), studies show a 50% increase in depressive symptoms among girls (35% among boys) when their symptoms were compared with those who only use social media for 1-3 hours per day.

In fact, a Pew Research study found “One-in-five teenage girls—or nearly 2.4 million—had experienced at least one major depressive episode.” (July 2019)

Why is anxiety reaching epic proportions?  Because rather than find out why God made each of us and then seeking to fulfill that specific purpose, too many are busy comparing their own lives to those of others:

A March 2019 report in Experience, an online journal published by Northeastern University, found that two-thirds of respondents experienced pangs of ‘social media envy’ while scrolling through their feeds (most likely to provoke that envy: posts about traveling).

As one 21-year-old college student bemoaned, “I feel like I need to measure up to some kind of standard that’s like Instagram-worthy.”  In fact, posting on Instagram has become “surrounded by so much angst” that one user candidly acknowledged, “I miss posting things I love and care about that just don’t bring in the likes that my other photos bring in.”  To combat this comparison anxiety, Instagram announced it would begin hiding from public view the “like counts.”  But not surprisingly, a new study found this approach isn’t improving self-esteem.

We don’t need to hire consultants or conduct polls and studies to find the real solution: thankfulness.  As the Scriptures urge:

“In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB).

Thanksgiving Day is a good start, but Americans should be thankful more than just one day a year.  As the Apostle Paul reminded us, this should be our way of life:

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3:15 NASB).

Now that Thanksgiving Day has passed, remember to keep saying thanks for all that God has blessed us with.

“I will give thanks to the Lord according to His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High” (Psalm 7:17 NASB).

 

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel