Thanksgiving Message 2014

From what I understand, Americans and Christians in general are increasingly turning to Philippians 4:6-7 which the apostle Paul begins with these words: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Be anxious for nothing? One must admit it is a lot easier said than done these days. Look no further than the morning or evening newscasts or  headlines, and you’ll quickly discover ample reasons to agonize: Home grown terrorism, Islamic Jihad, Russian and Ukrainian tensions, beheadings, kidnappings, global pandemic and the angst list grows.

No wonder so many people believe that things in America are “out of control.” And my feeling is that many of the world’s citizens feel the same way about their nation, though their angst list may differ somewhat. And it is therefore no surprise that Americans and many Christians favorite verse these days contains not only a command against apprehension or uneasiness but a remedy for it: “prayer with thanksgiving.” The New International Version translates this verse this way: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” In other words don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything.

The Apostle Paul adds that our prayers need to be coupled “with thanksgiving.” By “thanksgiving” the apostle is not referring to the once-a-year American or Canadian practice of ingesting large portions of turkey, stuffing and accompanying foods of choice but to the invaluable and healing mindset of thankfulness.

Regularly expressing thanks to God and other people for the good things they have brought into your life is a powerful remedy to lessen anxiety. Reflecting on the ways God has protected and provided for you in the past can protect you against the fear of an uncertain future.

Expressing thankfulness should not be reserved for a particular day in a year but needs to become a way of life. As a blogger I use the written word to express myself about events that I find troubling or inspiring. As a Christian, I fear not for my future but instead give daily thanks to my God for his blessings in my life.