What Press Conferences Taught Me About Thanksgiving
When quarterback CJ Stroud opens a press conference, he always shares the same phrase when the first question is asked: “First, I just want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” I will admit that the first time I ever watched him in a press conference, I almost got emotional. There was something special about a person with that kind of platform using it to glorify God and spread the name of Jesus.
After watching a few of his postgame conferences, I became interested in seeing what would happen when things went wrong. We all know it’s easy to be grateful when things are going right, but the other way around is much more difficult. What would he do if he lost or had a bad performance? Then it came, as the Ohio State Buckeyes lost to their arch-rival Michigan. And afterward, I watched closely to see Stroud’s response. With a heavy heart and a slow walk up to the microphone, he quietly answered the first question by saying, “First, I just want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
I don’t know anything about CJ Stroud’s personal faith other than what he has shared in public, but I do know that what he shares is a mindset that can transform our lives. It’s not complicated, because it is the attitude of a thankful heart. When we recognize how much God has given us and that the credit for all we have belongs to him, we experience a freedom that allows us to give the glory away. I love the way author Jerry Bridges explains this in The Practice of Godliness:
“Thankfulness to God is a recognition that God in His goodness and faithfulness has provided for us and cared for us, both physically and spiritually. It is a recognition that we are totally dependent on Him – that all we are and have belongs to him.”
If we can let go our pride and recognize where the good things in life come, both internally and externally, we can experience a beautiful union with the God who made us. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year, for while it can be distracted by food or football, the heart of the holiday is to celebrate the goodness of God. It is a clear time set aside to recognize our creator and his creation. We all have something to be thankful for, so today, look up and recognize where that gift came from. Rest in the beautiful spirit of thanksgiving.
