Feeding the flock with gratitude

The first Thanksgiving that I was away from my family, I felt really sad.

I missed the traditions that I was used to.

I missed the dishes that we always ate.

And I missed the people.

I wasn’t feeling very grateful at all.

As I sat pretty quietly at the dinner table, I tried to have a change of heart.

How could I contribute to the atmosphere even if I didn’t feel very grateful?

What could I do to turn things around?

I realized that I had been thinking a lot about myself.

So instead of feeling self-absorbed and sad, I decided to try and focus on making other people happy.

Gratitude is essential.

But I love it when gratitude leads me to think, “How can I better feed or serve the people around me?”⁣

Peter encouraged us:

“Feed the flock of God which is among you. . . .” (1 Peter 5:2)

Many of us doing that literally today— gathering and feeding loved ones.

What a gift!

But looking at it from a spiritual standpoint is so cool, too!

Gather and nourish the people that you love on a spiritual level.

I don’t think that necessarily means preaching at people.

But sharing love, speaking openly of Jesus, and encouraging.

Focusing outward with gratitude.

I completely transformed how I felt on that Thanksgiving when I started trying to give happiness and joy to other people, even when I didn’t totally feel it myself.

Gratitude can help lead us to nourish others.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black