Turning Anxiety to Thanksgiving
Paul wrote the book of Philippians while he was in prison. This book is filled with encouragement. One of the most powerful scriptures is Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about ANYTHING, but in EVERYTHING, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
I don't know about you, but I need this daily--every hour: “Do not be anxious about ANYTHING.” Surely God doesn't mean "anything," right?! Does He know what goes on in our lives? That "anything" can change from day-to-day depending on our emotions and circumstances. What is your "anything?" Is your "anything" an unanswered prayer, health, a failing marriage, or is your "anything" the everyday stuff that makes you anxious? That "anything" can be over-extended schedules, bad holiday traffic, etc. The next part is the best part of the scripture because it tells me what to do with my "anythings." "But in EVERYTHING, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God." My "anythings" just turned into my EVERYTHINGS! I take my "everythings" to God in prayer, and I am asking Him to take my "anythings" and "everythings." I ask with thanksgiving! I am thankful! But sometimes I think we ask with doubt and maybe even grumbling and complaining. It's easy to be thankful when life is going your way. It's a challenge to be thankful when things are not so good. It's really hard to say "THANK YOU God" for this "anything and everything" in my life.
Being thankful is God's way. It's His desire that we learn to be thankful. Being thankful sets our minds and our hearts on being contented with what God has given each of us. Being contented doesn't mean you have buried your head in the sand. It means that your circumstances are not moving you from a place of thankfulness to a place of anxiousness. You may be in an anxious time in your life but God wants us to tell Him about it and ask Him about your circumstances, He wants us to have a relationship with Him. When we make our request to God, make sure they are with a thankful attitude.
And here is the promise in verse 7: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." When I am thankful, my mind and my heart goes to a place of peace. Peace about my "anythings and everythings!” When I am thankful, that is the turning point. It's the shift that needs to happen to receive all that God has for me. I know that we all have the "anythings and everythings," and I know that being thankful opens the emotions of praise to Jesus. When I am thankful, a reaction happens in my heart that is praising Him in the "anythings" and the "everythings".
My prayer during this holiday season is that we make being thankful an every day, every situation emotion. That we ask Him about anything and everything with thanksgiving! I pray for the supernatural peace of God invade our minds and our hearts, so that we are able to live the life that He has for us and to share His life with everyone that we meet.
Here are some verses on being thankful:
1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Ephesians 5:20 says, “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Colossians 3:15-17 says, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Psalm 106:1 says, “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!”
Colossians 4:2 says, “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.”