It was inevitable, I suppose. Winter has arrived. The sound of howling wind woke me up around 3 am, and a few minutes ago, when I opened the door to let Tori out, she stared at me as if I was trying to kill her. Such a look of disgust on such a little dog! But. I digress. it’s the day before Thanksgiving. Are you ready?
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” — Zechariah 4:10.
Do you find your holidays surrounded by increasing expectations? It seems like everything around us is geared to draw our attention to the big things. Big meals. Big gatherings. Big holiday sales. Big expectations. Somewhere along the way, we absorbed the idea that gratitude must be grand to be genuine.
But Scripture tells a quieter story.
In Zechariah 4, God speaks to a weary people rebuilding a ruined temple. The progress is slow. The work they have managed to get done feels insignificant. The task before them is daunting. Discouragement hangs in the air. And into that discouragement God speaks a surprising word: “Do not despise these small beginnings.”
God rejoices in the small. He delights in the almost-invisible. He celebrates the small starts over the big finishes.
And maybe—especially during a holiday built around abundance—we need the reminder that God notices and honors the small offerings we bring.
Small efforts. Small prayers. Small acts of kindness. Small steps of growth in faith. None of it feels holy, and yet all of it can be … because God sees you and sees your heart.
God sees the quiet sacrifices you make for others. He sees the simple gratitude you whisper when no one else hears. He sees the effort it takes to show up, to prepare, to love well. He sees the spiritual progress that feels slow but is real.
If Thanksgiving is about recognizing God’s goodness, then this week is a reminder that God’s goodness is often tucked inside the small moments we overlook. We may be tempted to measure our lives by what is large and visible, but God rejoices in what is small and faithful.
So as you peel potatoes, make travel plans, or sit in the quiet of an evening kitchen, let this truth settle in your heart: God sees. God rejoices. God delights in beginnings that feel too small to matter.
And when we pay attention to the small, we often discover that gratitude grows there—quietly, gently, steadily—until it fills the whole heart.
Prayer: Faithful God, thank you for seeing what we overlook. Teach me to recognize your presence in the small, ordinary moments of these days. Help me to see quiet acts of love as seeds of gratitude that are just beginning to grow. Rejoice over my small beginnings, Lord, and shape my heart to rejoice with you. Amen.
Stay warm. If you’re traveling tomorrow, I wish you safe travels. If others are traveling to be with you, I wish them safe travels as well. May your day today be blessed as you prepare for Thanksgiving tomorrow!
