Pray With Thanksgiving In Your Heart

Have you ever wondered about verses like:
1st Thessalonians 5:18 - Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

I used to think that giving thanks in all circumstances and praying with thanksgiving meant that we were to conjure up an attitude of thankfulness, in our lives generally, and when praying specifically. I theoretically knew that God was good and so, in a spirit of propriety, I was to give thanks for that goodness. I suppose that might be part of what it means. However, what those verses really mean only became apparent to me as I got to know my Lord in a deeply personal way.

My journey as a Christian began almost as a relationship with a concept. At the time I thought that I believed in Jesus but in hindsight, and in comparison to now, I’m not so sure.

Eventually, through reading His Word and experiencing the reality of God more and more, my relationship become one of me and God, the real God, Creator God.
Of course, anyone who spends time with God, who responds to God's invitation for forgiveness, comes to see and experience His goodness and His faithfulness. So our relationship became one whereby I understood Him as my Father, my Heavenly Father, my loving Father. He was no longer just this omnipotent being. He was also someone who was closer than anyone else I knew. He was protecting, watchful, caring, observing, minding, enjoying and participating in my growth just as I enjoy watching my own children grow.

Finally, where I am today, I know Creator God as Daddy. I know that He loves me deeply. I can see that He fulfills my deepest longings and desires. He has healed my soul, and I know beyond any doubt that He not only hears my prayers but He answers my prayers because, knowing Him as well as I do, I am able to pray in His will. I want what He wants. What He despises I despise. What He enjoys I enjoy. What He longs for in my life and in the lives of others is what I long for as well.

That is where true thankfulness comes in. When I ask Him to lead my children into a deeper relationship with Jesus, I can respond verbally with thanksgiving right at that very moment because I know that He will do that. That is something that God will carry out to completion. When I ask God to bring Wendy and I closer together, I can say thank you right after the request because I know that He has done it, He is doing it and He will continue to do it. Praying with thanksgiving becomes a natural part of one’s prayer-life when one gets to know how God comforts, encourages, counsels and protects His children. God is in reality, warm, loving, compassionate; He’s slow to anger and abounding in love and grace and mercy. God’s children, those of us who belong to the family of God, those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour will never experience any hint of God’s wrath which is going to be poured out against those who hate Him.

Praise be to the Creator of all that is seen and unseen!