Posted on 11/23/2014 7:00:35 AM PST by Kaslin
The on-line retailer Amazon recently revealed the most popular verse in the Bible for Americans. No, it’s not the ubiquitous John 3:16 displayed on posters at sporting events everywhere.
Instead, Americans 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? That’s a lot easier said than done these days. Just read the headlines, and you’ll quickly discover plenty of reasons to worry: “4 Jihad Attacks in 4 Days,” “Ukraine Could Explode in 48 Hours,” and “Ebola Crisis ‘On Same Scale as AIDS Epidemic.’”
No wonder 64 percent of voters believe that things in America are “out of control.” And it is therefore no surprise that Americans’ favorite verse these days contains not only a command against anxiety but a cure for it: “prayer . . . with thanksgiving.” The Living Bible paraphrases the verse this way: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers.”
I have a friend who encourages people who worry a lot to take out a sheet of paper and write at the top, “Worry List.” Then, make a list of everything in your life that is a source of anxiety for you: health issues, financial difficulties, career challenges, family conflicts.
Once you have filled up your page (or pages) with your concerns, take out another piece of paper and put the words “Prayer List” at the top. Then, cross through each item on your “Worry List” and transfer it to your “Prayer List.” Instead of having a list of items to worry about, you now have a list of concerns to talk with God about.
My friend tells people that the secret to peace in life is having a short worry list and a long prayer list. “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything.”
But Paul adds that our prayers need to be coupled “with thanksgiving.” By “thanksgiving” the apostle is not referring to the once-a-year American ritual of gorging on turkey, cranberry sauce, and football games but to the invaluable and healing attitude of gratitude.
Regularly expressing thanks to God and other people for the good things they have brought into your life is a powerful antidote to 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 one day on the calendar but needs to become a way of life. Allow me to offer several practical suggestions for developing the quality of gratitude:
1. Make gratitude part of your daily routine. Before you drift off to sleep each night take a moment to thank God for two or three positive things that happened to you that day.
Researchers Robert Emmons and Mike McCullough assigned two groups to keep a daily diary of five things that happened to them throughout the day and reflect on them before going to sleep each night: One group listed positive things for which they were thankful and the other group listed negative happenings.
The result?
Joy, happiness, and life satisfaction skyrocketed for the gratitude group.
2. Guard against the tendency to “go negative.” Pessimism is in vogue these days. According to a recent Fox News poll, 58 percent of Americans believe the world was going “to hell in a handbasket.”
Yes, there are plenty of things to criticize but there are also a number of reasons to be thankful. For example, our health care situation may be a mess, but in the last two centuries vaccines have virtually eliminated death from diphtheria, polio, hepatitis, and other diseases.
Despite the real economic struggles many are facing, the bottom 5 percent of income earners in the United States are still wealthier than 68 percent of the world’s population. Our government may be dysfunctional, but at least we have the freedom to say so without losing our lives.
3. Express appreciation to others who have made a difference in your life.Ultimately, all good gifts come from God, but He often sends them through people He places in our lives. Over the holiday weekend why not send a note or call someone—a teacher, mentor, friend, or family member—who has significantly impacted your life?
If you don’t feel particularly grateful for anything or anyone, remember that gratitude must usually be expressed before it is felt.
I’ve found that it’s much easier to act yourself into a feeling than to feel yourself into an action.
After all, there is a reason this holiday is called Thanks-giving and not Thanks-feeling.
BRILLIANT! Maybe we Freepers need to start a ‘Worry’ vs. ‘Prayer’ List thread? ;)
I have a friend who encourages people who worry a lot to take out a sheet of paper and write at the top, “Worry List.” Then, make a list of everything in your life that is a source of anxiety for you: health issues, financial difficulties, career challenges, family conflicts.
Once you have filled up your page (or pages) with your concerns, take out another piece of paper and put the words “Prayer List” at the top. Then, cross through each item on your “Worry List” and transfer it to your “Prayer List.” Instead of having a list of items to worry about, you now have a list of concerns to talk with God about.
My friend tells people that the secret to peace in life is having a short worry list and a long prayer list. “Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything.”
Never have so many had so much for so little effort. And been less grateful.
That sure sums it up.
But, I have truly found that the more gratitude I show in life, the more I am blessed.
Are the two connected? I’m convinced of it! :)
Huge double-Amen here.
I once had the opportunity to go to Kenya with my husband and mother. I remember one tiny moment there.
There was a middle-aged, slightly overweight African-American couple there, in the same place we were. I have no idea how they got there but we were on a private tour with the three of our and our tour guide, in his vehicle.
I can remember seeing them and noting a few things.
1. The were as alike to their "fellow" Africans in absolutely NO way. The couple obviously had much white in them as they were SHADES lighter than the EBONY Kenyans.
2. They were many pounds heavier than anyone of their EBONY racial ancestors, which showed who was getting to eat and who had to go without.
3. They looked SO American, it was silly. They had the comfortable look, the well-fed look. They were as foreign to those Kenyans as I was.
4. The couple looked slightly dazed and a bit confused. I THINK they were there to connect with their Alex Haley "roots" and saw nothing even mildly resembling them.
African Americans should be enormously grateful for NOT being born and reared in Africa, ANYWHERE in Africa. It's a beautiful place with marvelous natural resources, animals and so on...but their poverty level and governmental greed and corruption keeps their locals POOR and desperate.
I repeat: Huge double-Amen here.
My church encourages prayers of thanksgiving
I am also convinced that gratitude and blessings are connected. Great thinking there, kiddo.
God has been so good to me.
Psalm 100
A thanksgiving psalm.
1 Shout out praises to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Worship the Lord with joy!
Enter his presence with joyful singing!
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us and we belong to him;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give him thanks!
Praise his name!
5 For the Lord is good.
His loyal love endures,
and he is faithful through all generations.
Excellent article!
1 Timothy 2:1
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.
:)
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