As we turn the corner into November, my heart is full of both heaviness and hope. Heaviness, because the past few months have not been easy—for America, for Israel or for believers worldwide. Hope, because in the midst of tragedy and turmoil, I see God stirring revival across the nations. The season of Thanksgiving gives us a powerful reminder that gratitude isn’t based on circumstances. It’s rooted in the eternal faithfulness of our God.
This fall marks the second anniversary of the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel of October 7, 2023. That unspeakable violence ushered in a long, painful chapter of war, grief and uncertainty for Israel and for the Jewish people everywhere. The scars of those attacks run deep, even as we celebrate the blessed return of the hostages.
Closer to home, we’ve faced heartbreak in our own nation. The assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk shook many of us. Whether or not you agreed with every word he spoke, his voice was one of conviction, civility and courage in the cultural and political arena. His death reminds us how divided our nation has become, how dangerous the rhetoric has turned and how fragile civility can be in an age of rage and vitriol.
These moments press on us the reality that we live in a fallen world. Yet for believers, we must look at these tragedies not only with mourning, but with the lens of eternity and the call of God on our generation.
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It calls us to a posture of reflection, humility and thankfulness to the Lord. Thanksgiving also is a corrective to despair. The enemy would love to keep us paralyzed in fear and hopelessness. But gratitude lifts our gaze. It reminds us of God’s faithfulness yesterday, His presence today, and His promises for tomorrow.
Even as headlines darken, I continue to hear reports of revival breaking out across the globe. In Latin America, tens of thousands gather for prayer rallies where young people are giving their lives to Christ. In the Middle East, Muslims are coming to faith through dreams and visions of Jesus. Here in the United States, we see campuses shaken by spontaneous worship, cities holding all-night prayer meetings, and churches hungrier than ever for a fresh move of the Spirit.
This is not the time to retreat in despair. It’s the time to press in with faith. God often moves most powerfully when the world is shaking the most. And He is calling His people to holiness, to courage, and to stand as beacons of light in the growing darkness.
For too long, our nation has been sliding toward moral coarseness and spiritual decline. From the breakdown of the family to the celebration of sin and the silencing of truth, America has strayed far from its biblical foundations. But history shows us something important: pendulums swing. Seasons of darkness are often followed by awakenings of light. The Great Awakenings, the Azusa Street revival, the Jesus Movement—all of them came after times of national chaos and moral failure. Not because politicians will save us, but because God is still sovereign, still merciful and still able to pour out His Spirit on all flesh. Our prayers matter. Our repentance matters. Our faith matters.
Thanksgiving naturally leads us into the Christmas season. The two holidays are deeply connected. Thanksgiving cultivates a spirit of gratitude, and Christmas reminds us of the greatest gift we could ever receive—the gift of Christ Himself.
This year, as we celebrate, we will do so against the backdrop of wars, cultural upheaval and national wounds. But that backdrop only makes the message of Christ’s coming shine brighter. The angels who declared “peace on earth, goodwill to men” spoke into a world under Roman oppression and deep division. Yet their words still ring true for us today.
Jesus is our peace. Jesus is our hope. Jesus is the reason we can give thanks when the world trembles.
As I reflect this Thanksgiving season, I choose hope. Not naïve optimism. Not blind denial of reality. But the hope that comes from knowing the God who raises the dead, who redeems the broken, and who brings light out of darkness.
Yes, tragedies have struck. Yes, challenges abound. But I believe this could be the very hour when the church rises to her calling, when revival sweeps the nations and when America experiences another spiritual awakening.
This November, let us give thanks. Let us anchor our hearts in Christ. And let us enter 2026 with hope and joyous expectancy, believing that the best is yet to come.
Stephen Strang has seen major changes in the church, the culture and technology since he founded Charisma magazine in 1975. In addition to being CEO of Charisma Media, he hosts a Strang Report podcast live on YouTube and Rumble at 4 p.m. EST every Tuesday and Thursday. His important recent book Spirit-Led Living in an Upside-World is available wherever fine Christian books are sold d including online at amazon.com.
