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(6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by
prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to
God; New
King James Version Change your email Bible version
Thankfulness is a form of contentment, or we could view it as peace
of mind or tranquility. A truly thankful person is usually not an individual who
worries a lot. Being thankful puts our thoughts on God, rather than on our
problems. In Colossians 3:15, Paul writes encouragingly, "Let the peace
of God rule in your hearts to which also you were called in one body and be
thankful." The more we allow God's peace to be in control, the more settled and
more thankful we will become. On the flip side, the more thankful we are, the
more God's peace will rule our hearts and minds.
In our society, many problems like discouragement, depression, anger, and
other mental and emotional troubles are treated with chemicals and drugs. These
medicines are designed to offer some form of relief. Some work and some do not.
Many have side effects that, in some cases, are worse than the original problem.
Some are addictive. For us, though, thankfulness and praising God are effective
and beneficial antidotes for discouragement, depression, and anger.
Supplication with thanksgiving will enliven our prayer
life. It will lift us up and give us a more positive perspective. A thankful
attitude will help to erase any doubts we may have as we pray, and it will also
decrease uncertainty in our lives in general because we know where our help
comes from (see Psalm 121:1-8). Proper thankfulness will help us increase
our faith
in God because we will constantly be relating to and reflecting on Him.
God is always deserving of our praise or thanks—indeed, we cannot
thank Him enough. How does our heavenly Father feel when we express only a
qualified "thank you" occasionally or not at all? How does He feel, knowing that
He has done what is the absolute and perfect best for us, and we just shrug it
off? How do we feel when this type of unthankful behavior happens to us? Our
thanksgiving to God should be so effusive that He will never feel that way!
Ingratitude,
whether passive or active, is a tool that Satan
can use to turn us away from God and His Family. By succumbing to
thanklessness, we can allow him to plant us as tares within the church
and spread our ingratitude to others. A steady outflow of gratitude to God will
knock this weapon from the Devil's hand.
Such a constant attitude of thankfulness and earnest thanksgiving, no matter
the circumstances, is a gift from God to us. Gratitude spreads a healing balm
among those with whom we fellowship,
and it will help to speed us along the path to God's Kingdom.
— Staff
To learn more, see:
Daily Thanksgiving
Related Topics:
Anger
Depression
Discouragement
God's Peace
Gratitude
Peace of God
Praise
Prayers to Reflect Gratitude
Thankfulness
Thanksgiving
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