The Gratitude of the One Who Returned

Cashmeira Henderson
7 days ago
2 min read

How a quiet moment in Scripture reshapes our Thanksgiving posture.

There’s a short moment in Scripture that speaks loudly this week —especially as we step into Thanksgiving.

It’s the story in Luke 17, where Jesus heals ten men with leprosy. Ten were restored. Ten were given back their future. Ten walked away cleansed…

But only one came back.

One paused. One turned around. One lifted his voice in thanks and fell at Jesus’ feet.

And Jesus asked a question that cuts straight to the heart:

“Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?”— Luke 17:17

This wasn’t shame. It wasn’t scolding. Jesus didn’t withdraw the miracle.

It was about the posture of the heart.

The miracle was given to all ten —but only one chose to return and acknowledge the Giver.

And that single act of returning reveals something powerful:

Gratitude is not just a feeling.

It’s a direction. A turning back.

It’s the choice to pause. To notice. To remember. To honor what God has already done, is doing, and will continue to do.

As Thanksgiving arrives, this passage grounds us:

We don’t have to pretend everything is perfect. We don’t have to force an emotional high. We don’t have to silence the parts of us that feel tired or stretched thin.

But like the one who returned, we can pause — even briefly —to say, “God, I see Your hand in this.”

A moment of gratitude reshapes the entire day.

And today, I want to say something intentionally:

🌿 I am grateful for you.

Not vaguely. Not lightly. But sincerely.

Your presence matters. Your growth matters. Your pursuit of healing matters. Your desire to know God in a deeper, clearer way —it matters profoundly.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for allowing me to speak into your journey. Thank you for choosing wholeness, peace, and truth — even when it costs you something.

As you move into this day, here is a gentle practice: