The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything,

Posted by Pastor Zach Sarrault on

From the Pastor

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  (Philippians 4:6)

Are you ready for the sprint? That’s what November feels like for a lot of folks (don’t even mention the next month!). November is full of extra stuff on top of the daily rigmarole that we all find ourselves going through. When we read this verse that Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, what stands out to you? Do you scoff at the call to “not be anxious about anything”, as you hold your anxiety infused November checklist? Do you breathe a sigh of relief (or frustration) at the invitation to bring all requests to God through prayer, thinking that even with God’s help, you’ll still be exhausted, and a little irritated, along the way?

It can be hard to recognize the fueling hinge, strategically placed in the middle of this sentence. In our relationship with God, we are to do life with Him “with thanksgiving.” Thankfulness is intricate to the lifestyle and worldview that God brings us into as members of His body. 

When we are thankful, something changes within us. Our attitude changes. We recognize that we are not alone, but God is working with us and for us. Thankfulness reminds us that we are not expected to do anything alone, but through it all God is there. This can help release the burden that God doesn’t want us to carry on our own. He is there to do life with us, even the things that we would rather not do, God is there.

Thankfulness gives us a foundation. When we forget to be thankful, our anxiety builds, our worry consumes, and our frustrations boil over. Our foundation becomes slippery and we fall, not only under the weight of burden, but because we have nothing under our feet. When we are thankful, we are reminded of what God is doing and has done for us. In all things, God never stops living His promise for us. He provides for us, loves us, forgives us, and protects us.

To have a thankful attitude that solidifies our foundation, I want to give us a challenge throughout the month of November. Every day, list five things you are thankful for. There’s a variety of ways to do this. You could write it in a thankful journal, keeping track of everything throughout the whole month. You could keep a record as a family or individually. Place the list somewhere in the house where all can see. Write the list on a scrap sheet of paper when you are frustrated, anxious, or worried. However you choose to do it, living out thankfulness through a simple practice like this can deepen our relationship with God, impacting our relationship with those He gives us.


Your thankful brother in Christ,
Pastor Zach Sarrault

 

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