Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
God wants to hear our prayers. But to keep them from becoming too self-focused, God wants us always to remember to give thanks (
Philippians 4:6). It is so easy for us to turn prayer into a request line. We are the ones who are left bereft when thanksgiving and praise are robbed from our prayers. Without praise, our hearts grow dim because all we think about is our problems, and prayer becomes a wish list of stuff we selfishly want, treating God as our heavenly Santa Claus rather than the Father who sacrificed everything to make us his children!
Gracious God, I have so many reasons to praise you. In the face of trial and hardship, I have your promises to reawaken my hope through your presence in my life and the power of the Holy Spirit. In the moment of victory, I have you to thank for my abilities and the power to accomplish things for your glory. In my boredom with the routine, I can find great joy in your surprises. Thank you, God, for being so great and yet so lovingly present and attentive to my needs. In Jesus' name, I thank and praise you. Amen.
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