5 Ways to Make This Year’s Gathering about God, Not the Menu
Autumn & Thanksgiving
Audio By Carbonatix
By Wynita Walther, Crosswalk.com
Every year around this time, I feel an unmistakable shift. The air turns crisp, the days shorten, and the rhythm of life begins to slow down. As the seasons change outside, something inside of me changes too.
It is no wonder that Scripture so often connects nature with the soul. Just as the earth moves through seasons of growth, harvest, and rest, our lives follow similar patterns. Some relationships fade while new ones bloom. Work can be quiet in one area while new opportunities begin to bud in another. Even our hearts can experience both gratitude and grief at the same table.
As Thanksgiving draws near, I cannot help but notice how those inner seasons begin to mirror the outer ones. While we prepare to gather, cook, and celebrate, God might be inviting us to slow down and take a deeper look at what is happening beneath the surface.
For me, that invitation often comes as a gentle tug, a reminder that this season is not only about what is on the table but about who is at the table, and even more importantly, who sits at the head of it.
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When Thanksgiving Becomes a Spiritual Check-In
If I am honest, I find it much easier to focus on the doing of Thanksgiving than the being. It feels simpler to plan the menu, set the table, and cross things off a to-do list than to pause and sit with what I am really feeling. But the truth is, the holidays often stir up more than just recipes and schedules.
For some, Thanksgiving means reuniting with loved ones they rarely see. For others, it can be surface tension, loneliness, or old memories. And for many, it brings both gratitude and grief intertwined.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” The fall season teaches us to let go, to release the old so new life can begin. The trees shed what they no longer need, and in doing so, they make room for what is to come.
In the same way, Thanksgiving offers us a sacred opportunity to release what no longer serves us and to invite God into our gatherings with fresh gratitude and awareness.
So, before you finalize the menu or decide who is bringing the pie, let’s pause and ask ourselves: How can I make this year’s gathering more about God than the meal?
Here are five ways to do just that.
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1. Feel What You Feel
Many of us were taught to push our emotions aside and keep moving, especially during the holidays. We tell ourselves to just get through it, but true joy, growth, and healing begin when we allow ourselves to feel.
When life feels heavy, give yourself permission to sit with what is there. You do not have to fix it or explain it away. Simply acknowledge it. Write it down. Pray through it. Talk with a trusted friend or counselor.
David modeled this beautifully in the Psalms. He did not hide his emotions from God; he poured them out honestly. Psalm 62:8 says, “Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”
The goal is not to dwell on pain but to honor it, release it, and make space for peace to enter. When we invite God into our emotions, He turns even the hard moments into sacred ground.
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2. Create Space for What Fills You
The holidays can quickly become all about everyone else, what they need, what they expect, what they want you to bring. But making room for what fills you is not selfish; it is essential.
Too often, we pour ourselves out for others while neglecting our own spiritual and emotional needs. Yet Scripture reminds us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31). That means our well-being matters too.
Take an honest look at what brings you joy and what drains you. Maybe it is a morning walk, a worship playlist, a few minutes in Scripture before the house wakes up, or a quiet evening by the fire. Choose it on purpose. Protect your peace like you protect your home, as something sacred.
When we intentionally create space for what fills us, we show up to our families, our communities, and our gatherings more present, more peaceful, and more in tune with God.
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3. Choose Joy and Keep Moving Forward
Life will always hold both light and shadow. Every challenge we have faced is proof of our strength and God’s faithfulness. You have walked through hard things before, and you will do it again with even greater grace and wisdom.
Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness depends on circumstances, but joy depends on connection to God, to others, and to purpose.
Even in seasons of change or uncertainty, we can move forward with courage and hope, trusting that God’s hand is steady even when ours are not. That is how we do more than survive; it is how we shine, and it is how we lift one another a little higher every day.
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4. Release Impossible Standards
The holidays have a way of magnifying our desire for perfection. We want the meal to be beautiful, the house to sparkle, the conversation to flow easily, and every family member to get along.
But chasing perfection only leads to frustration. We can create chaos in our minds trying to live up to an ideal that does not exist. There is so much freedom in acceptance.
Romans 12:18 offers simple wisdom: “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Peace does not mean everything is perfect. It means we choose grace over control.
When we accept ourselves, our circumstances, and the people around us, things begin to settle. It may not happen overnight, but practicing acceptance opens the door for God’s peace to move in. Sometimes the most Christlike thing we can do is let go of the picture-perfect moment and embrace the one we are already standing in.
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5. Stay Accountable to Your Purpose
Acceptance is not apathy. It means we trust God’s plan but also remain faithful to what He has called us to do. When we drift away from purpose, life starts to feel chaotic. But when we stay aligned with what really matters, everything begins to make sense again.
Colossians 3:23 reminds us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” When our motivation shifts from perfection to purpose, peace follows naturally.
Maybe your purpose this Thanksgiving is not to impress anyone, but to be a calm presence. Maybe it is to model forgiveness. Maybe it is to bring laughter or simply listen. Every table needs someone who carries peace.
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Bonus: Find Strength in Community
One of the easiest ways to keep our hearts centered on God is to walk closely with others who are doing the same. Mentorship, friendship, and prayer partners keep us grounded and accountable.
Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” When we surround ourselves with wise and loving people, we find perspective and strength we might not have on our own.
A good conversation with a godly friend can remind us that life is not as complicated as we make it and that peace has been within reach all along.
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A Thanksgiving That Feeds the Soul
This Thanksgiving, as you shop for groceries, plan meals, and gather with family, take a moment to breathe. Look around the table and notice the stories represented there. Some people are celebrating victories. Others are quietly carrying pain. And some are simply grateful to still be standing.
What if this Thanksgiving, we made space for all of it, the laughter and the tears, the gratitude and the growth? What if we slowed down long enough to see the fingerprints of God in our everyday moments, even the messy ones?
Life does not have to be as hard as we make it. When we stop overthinking, let go of the pressure to have it all figured out, and take the next simple step of faith, we often discover that peace was waiting for us all along.
So as you gather this year, remember this: the most meaningful thing on the table is not the food. It is the presence of God, the connection of hearts, and the grace that fills every empty space.
Let’s make this year’s gathering about gratitude, grace, and the One who makes both possible.
Wynita Walther is a writer, Bible teacher, and executive coach who helps women and leaders reconnect with God, strengthen their communication, and rediscover joy in every season. She is the founder of Lioness, a coaching community devoted to faith-based growth and purpose. Wynita lives in the Texas Hill Country, where she writes, teaches, and inspires others to live with clarity, confidence, and peace.
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