They risked their lives, many of them dying in the process, for something I often take for granted – freedom to worship.

Yes, more than men with funny hats and women in bonnets, these were radically courageous people joined together by one passionate, all-encompassing pursuit: freedom to worship their God in the way that believed was best.

The Faith of the Pilgrims

While the Church of England in the early 1600s said that no one could worship God unless it was in their prescribed way, some Christians in England responded by seeking to purify the Church from within – these were called Puritans. Others believed they could not stay with the COE and decide to separate themselves altogether from them. These were called Separatists. The Pilgrims were some of these Separatists.

As noted on Plimoth Plantation’s web page, “Faith of the Pilgrims,” upon preparing to leave England for Holland, Governor William Bradford wrote that Reverend John Robinson:

“…spent a good part of the day very profitably and suitable to their present occasion; the rest of the time was spent pouring out prayers to the Lord with great fervency, mixed with abundance of tears. And the time being come that they must depart, they were accompanied with most of their brethren out of the city, unto a town sundry miles off called Delftshaven, where the ship lay ready to receive them. So they left that goodly and pleasant city which had been their resting place near twelve years; but they knew they were pilgrims, and looked not much on those things, but lift up their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country, and quieted their spirits.” (This passage from Bradford’s manuscript Of Plymouth Plantation)

Those on a Spiritual Journey

Hebrews 13:13-14 says, “Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.”

These pilgrims were just that – those on a journey. They didn’t allow their feet to sink too deeply into the soil of the earth, but their eyes stayed fixed on Heaven, their eternal home. And they lived for their Lord in spite of the great costs involved.

In fact, the first pilgrim child born on the Mayflower while it was docked at Cape Cod was named Peregrine White. Peregrine means “pilgrim, alien, wandering, coming from abroad.”

Something about their story has drawn me in to research and find out more about them this year. Something about what they endured – the great suffering, fears, trials, losses, and then…triumph and establishment of a new colony – it is just a beautiful story, screaming to be told and re-told again and again.

Because I want to live like that – eyes on things above.

I shuffle breathlessly into my church on Sunday morning, usually a few minutes late due to a child not finding their shoe or sippy cup. I enter and calm my mind to engage the Lord and His people as we worship Him together. And lately, and I hope more often now, I stop to bow my head and thank God for the freedom I have to worship Him in this country – realizing that freedom came with a cost – it began with the cost of 102 courageous yet probably scared men, women and children who sailed across the ocean to settle on the land which I live in today.

Thankful in Plenty or in Want

This Thanksgiving I remember them – those brave souls – and I dream, I wonder, what that first Thanksgiving celebration was like.

Many of them came to the table that first year bearing grave losses – losses of mothers, fathers, siblings, and children. Many of them were sick and tired and famished from the cruel winter they had just endured. But they had endured. And harvest had come.

I can imagine the tears flowing as they broke bread, sang hymns, prayed prayers of gratitude to the Lord.

What do you bring to the table this Thanksgiving, my friend? Perhaps you have suffered great loss this year. But you have endured. You are still alive. Maybe your future doesn’t seem bright – maybe you only have a glimmer of hope left. But you can choose to endure as the pilgrims did in spite of the difficulties you face.

Maybe you are full of joy, gushing out for all to see…your cup runs over. Bring your cup of thanks and pour it out with celebration this year.

Wherever this Thanksgiving finds you, we all have something to be grateful for. Take the time to find it, and you may be surprised at the joy that is unlocked in the process.

And, surrounded by your blessings, perhaps take a moment to pause and thank God for the freedom you have to Worship Him.

This post was originally published on  November 19, 2013.

I’d like to tell you a story today about a man I know who is deeply joyful. His name is John and he lives in a rural village in Ghana, West Africa.

When I came to his home, he didn’t own a shirt for his own back, but he bought me a Coke with the money he had. My friends and I sat on the dirt floor of his small home (probably the size of one of the bedrooms in our current home) and listened as he enthusiastically shared about the grace and goodness of God in his life.

He worked long days in the fields as a farmer to feed his family and was proud of his hard work. He was thankful for his family, his small home, and the food God provided each day.

He didn’t even have a shirt on his back, but he was joyful.

Meeting John (and others like him in Africa) changed me. They showed me that you don’t need a lot of stuff to be joyful, but you do need God.

Seven Secrets to Joy-Filled Living

Since we often mistake happiness for joy, here are seven secrets from God’s Word that teach us how we, too, can live joy-filled lives:

1. Biblical joy is not the same as a feeling or moment of happiness. We are happy when we go to our favorite restaurant, spend a fun day with our best friend, or have someone surprise us with our favorite dessert. We are happy when circumstances are in our favor, but we can have joy independent of them: “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound” – Psalm 4:7.

In a culture that elevates personal happiness above loving God and others, this is important to clarify.

2. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit of God in our lives. We cannot muster up joy in our own strength. Joy comes as a fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives.

3. Joy blossoms in the soil of gratitude and thankfulness to God. Psalm 107:22 says, “And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!” A heart that is grateful to God for his friendship and undeserved blessings will overflow with thanksgiving and joy!

4. Joy comes as we encounter God’s presence. “…in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” – Psalm 16:11. Maybe circumstances aren’t going too well for us. Maybe we’ve even been through a very difficult loss or trial. But when we draw near to God and realize that He is with us and will never leave, our joy overflows.

5. Joy comes through enduring trials. While it may seem counter-intuitive, Scripture tells us clearly that we ought to “Count it all joy…when you face trials of various kinds. For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” – James 1:2-3. We don’t rejoice in the pain of our trials. We rejoice as we focus on the fruits that come from enduring such trials well – spiritual growth and maturity.

6. Joy comes as we encounter the message of the Gospel (again and again). When we press our knees into the soil at the foot of the Cross and see – amazed! what Christ endured on our behalf – when we see that we are loved this much! forgiven this much! When we see that we have been spared the wrath of the Father that we so deserve, our hearts cannot help but to be filled with awe, gratitude, joy unspeakable.

7. Joy is eternal. While happiness is temporal, the joy we have in Christ is eternal. John 16:22 says, “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” I cannot fully imagine the joy we will have when Christ returns to this earth. We will rejoice at His coming and no one will be able to steal our joy!

As C.S. Lewis says, “Joy is the serious business of Heaven.” My friend, will you choose the constancy of joy today? Or will you settle for moments of temporary happiness? It’s up to you!