Single for the HolidaysSample

THE GRATITUDE SHIFT

One of the gifts of singleness is the freedom to invert the holiday experience and create our own traditions. With Thanksgiving approaching and my family being on the opposite end of the country, my friend Sierra and I decided to revolt against the standard family feasting. Instead of indulging in a plate of turkey and mashed potatoes, we feasted our eyes on the beauty of the Yosemite Valley—the Redwoods and granite slabs towering overhead like a magic kingdom. 

The holidays often remind me of how very single I am and send me into a spiral of comparison. But once my eyes set their gaze on the beautiful rock formations it felt like heaven opened up above me. I knew God gave me that moment as a reminder that I'm not alone. 

I have so much to be thankful for: my family, roommates, great job, a beautiful place to live, a healthy body, and the love of Jesus. There are a lot of things I want in life, things that often overshadow all I already have. But Philippians 4:12 says, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." 

What is that secret you ask? It's the love of Jesus becoming our greatest delight and desire. For every need we have, Jesus is enough. Let that really sink in. Can you really not only be content, but stoked on life if you never got married or had kids? Would you be excited to wake up every day and find joy in what you've been given? If you can answer yes to these questions, I'd say you've discovered that secret ,too!

The wondrous beauty of Yosemite stripped me of the insatiable longing for what I don’t have and filled me with a satisfaction that can only be found in realizing everything I need is right in front of me and hidden in my relationship with Jesus. He is my Yosemite. He is my Thanksgiving feast. He is the fulfillment of every desire.

I read a quote the other day in my devotional and it said, “We are afraid that we will never get the things we want if we deny ourselves (what we want), but God will give us what we desire and even better, in due time. Do not be afraid to delay gratification and trust God to give you what you really need.” (Love Out Loud by Joyce Meyer). God can be trusted with my heart's desire even when I don’t understand the timing or process. Even when it feels like He is delaying, He isn't. He's moving and I trust that.

So instead of being anxious for what I don’t have, I’m taking Yosemite with me into the chaos and allowing gratitude to fill my heart. I'm grateful I'm not alone and can escape to beautiful places like Yosemite to regain perspective and shift my focus on everything God has already given me. That is a gift in itself. I'm thankful for what I have, thankful for what I don’t have, and thankful God has a beautiful future awaiting me just as grand as Yosemite!

What are you thankful for? Is God inviting you into your own Yosemite adventure to a place where He can speak to you and open your eyes to see the beautiful future that's waiting for you? Have you ever spent a holiday alone and done something spontaneous? Think about what this could look like for you and ask Jesus to take you on an adventure where you can experience the secret treasure of gratitude.