Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Are you anxious today? Me too. Who isn’t? I’d ask, “Anxious about what?” but that’s not really necessary. We’re anxious all the time about all sorts of things: Children, work, money, cars, home repairs, cancer, death, violence… Ahh! If you’re like me, you feel anxious all the time.
So I’ve come to treasure Paul’s encouragement: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God.” No matter where you are, no matter what you’re facing, God invites you to bring your anxiety to him in prayer. Don’t be anxious. God’s got this! Like Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Like Esther prayed before she went to King Xerxes. Like Daniel prayed before he was thrown into the lions’ den. There’s an answer to anxiety: Prayer.
But a pastor recently pointed out something in that verse that I hadn’t noticed before: The phrase “with thanksgiving.” It’s easy to miss. In fact, I skipped over it in the previous paragraph. Did you notice? The answer to anxiety is prayer to God “with thanksgiving.”
Can I be honest? That “thanksgiving” part is too often missing in my life. Right now, I could give you an in-depth list of all the things that aren’t going right. I could describe for you in great detail what I think is wrong with this world. But it would be hard to tell you what’s going right. What am I missing? Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving forces us to take our eyes off our troubles and see all that God has done for us. God gives us so much to be thankful for, doesn’t he? Even on the worst days of life, God’s loving care is so evident in our lives. Even on our darkest days, Jesus’ grace, forgiveness, and promise of eternal life give us so many reasons to be grateful. Ingratitude breeds anxiety. Thanksgiving floods us with peace.
So, “don’t be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” The more thankfulness for God’s blessings to you in Christ fills your heart and life, you’ll be surprised at how the anxiety quietly slips away. God’s got this! Just like always. He’s the answer to anxiety.
Dear Jesus, my heart is anxious today—and everyday. I see so many reasons to be worried. Instead, show me all that you have done for me, and lead me to bring my anxiety to you in prayer. In your name, amen.
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