Grateful Peace

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

—Colossians 3:15

Thanksgiving is one of those seasons that invites us to slow down, breathe deeply, and take stock of what really matters. For many LGBTQ+ Christians, gratitude can be complicated—we know what it feels like to be excluded, misunderstood, or overlooked. And yet we also know the beauty of finding chosen family, affirming community, and sacred spaces where we can finally breathe.

Colossians 3:15 reminds us that peace is not a passive feeling—it is something we allow, something we make room for. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” It’s an invitation to unclench our fists, release the narratives that harmed us, and allow the gentler voice of Christ to guide us. And then, Paul says, “be thankful.” Not thankful instead of honest, or thankful to cover up pain, but thankful because Christ’s peace is already stirring and healing us from within.

Paul expresses a similar spirit of gratitude in 1 Corinthians 1:4–5, where he says, “I give thanks to my God always for you… because in every way you have been enriched in him.” What a powerful reminder that our gifts, our stories, and our existence enrich the body of Christ. We aren’t mistakes. We aren’t outsiders begging to be let in. We are—with all our queerness, our resilience, our creativity, our compassion—part of the richness God has woven into the world.

And then there’s the joyful call of Psalm 95:1–2: “Come, let us sing to the Lord… Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving.” This is not the quiet gratitude we whisper in private moments—this is gratitude that sings, that resonates, that shakes loose the old shame we were taught to carry. It’s a reminder that worship can be joyful and embodied, not timid or apologetic. We come into God’s presence with thanksgiving because we know that presence is safe, loving, and already welcoming us home.

This week, as many gather around tables—or navigate them carefully—we can choose to center gratitude that feels real:

• gratitude for the people who love us as we are
• gratitude for communities that celebrate rather than tolerate
• gratitude for the peace Christ offers when we stop trying to justify our worth
• gratitude for the ways God enriches our lives through connection, resilience, and grace

We don’t pretend everything is perfect. But we do acknowledge that God is present in the imperfect places, working peace into the cracks and creases of our hearts.

May the peace of Christ find space in your spirit this Thanksgiving.

May gratitude rise gently but firmly, like a hymn in the morning light.

And may you know—deeply, unwaveringly—that your life enriches the world and the heart of God.