Text: Philippians 4:6-7
It is important that we recognize the many things we have to be thankful for. But it is also important that we allow this sense of gratitude to impact how we conduct ourselves. So in this short series, we are discussing how we conduct ourselves with gratitude. In this second lesson, we will discuss how we pray to God with gratitude.
Prayer Is to Be a Regular Practice
- We are to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) – this does not mean we are in prayer during every waking moment; this means we pray consistently, ready at any time to approach God in prayer
- Jesus taught how to pray when He gave the model prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) – includes praising God and praying for physical and spiritual needs
- Jesus showed an example of praying during times of distress (Matthew 26:36-39, 44) – we pray for God’s will to be done, and it will be (1 John 5:14-15)
How Gratitude Affects This
- Praying with thanksgiving recognizes God as our creator and provider (Psalm 100:1-3; 65:9) – He promised He would continue to provide from generation to generation (Genesis 8:22)
- Praying with thanksgiving acknowledges the many ways God has blessed us (James 1:17) – too numerous to count (Psalm 40:5)
- This allows us to have the peace of God (Philippians 4:6-7) – we trust that God will continue to bless us; we can be content knowing that God is with us (Hebrews 13:5)
What Happens to This When We Lack Gratitude
- We begin to see God not as a benevolent king but as an unreliable servant (Isaiah 49:14-16) – we think God has forsaken us; yet we have embraced a false hope (1 Timothy 6:3-5)
- We focus on all of the things we do not have instead of what we do have (Luke 15:27-31) – our inheritance is so much greater than anything in this life (cf. 1 Peter 1:4); yet Satan wants us to focus on what we do not have (Genesis 3:1, 5)
- We become anxious over things because we do not trust God’s will (Matthew 14:22-31) – like Peter, we take our eyes off of the Lord; He told us not to worry (Matthew 6:25-34)
Conclusion
- We need to have a regular practice of prayer – but we must pray “with thanksgiving” to benefit from it
- Be thankful that God is our creator and provider
- Be mindful of all the many ways God has blessed us
- Be grateful to Him that we have everything we need when we follow Him
