Purpose and Meaning

The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. H.U. Westermayer

Why do people under great stress and loss still have an attitude of gratitude and thankfulness? Answer: They still have faith, hope and love.

Faith in God's provident call for our lives
Hope that He will make all things right in the end
Love that springs from a heart for God and intimacy with His creatures

More importantly, what happens to the people who maintain faith, hope and love in the face of cruel conditions and great disappointment? The behave like Pilgrims and carve a blessed nation out of hard soil and hard winters.

A pilgrim people know they are on a journey or pilgrimage and will continually meets its challenges for it is bigger than creature comforts or life itself. Their purpose in life does not stop with this life.

America is not the greatest social and political experiment in all history because we had the smartest, wealthiest or best educated people. Many of our pioneers were mentally, emotionally and morally challenged when they came here. However, the vision of God's providence seems to have inspired greatness and drew out the best in human kind.

Another question: What happens when a nation loses its sense of destiny and call and adopts a self-centered, individualistic mentality of pessimism and crass materialism? Ask Rome.

Attitudes are critically important to our national health. Americans have always been populated by a "can do" spirit. At the 60th anniversary of D-Day we are hearing many stories about the positive attitudes of the young men and women who went to war against tyranny in Europe and Asia. None of them wanted to fight but most of them were optimistic about the outcome.

Former generations had a lot of adversity and it make them stronger. The pioneers were not saints but they knew to "Count it all joy when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." (James 1:2-3)

When life was tough they gave. A grandson of William Winemiller, a pioneer from my part of Illinois, said "My grandpa Will didn't have much during the Depression but every day he went looking for hobos to invite home because he believed everyone should get a good meal." Economic disaster was an excuse for serving others not for self-pity.

People born before World War I rarely suffered from bouts with depression yet modern generations have that terrible malady at least 20 times as much. One must ask why when our standard of living is at least 20 times as nice as our grandparents and parents.

Do you have an answer?

Give me your ideas.

(Ps One friend suggests it is ADD)

gsweeten@lifewaycenters.com
www.lifewaycenters.com