With thanksgiving

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

…The Lord is near. Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

“With.”

A tiny little word, but one that made me think this morning.

When, we’re feeling anxious, prayers and petitions come pouring out of our mouths quite readily.

Paul doesn’t say this shouldn’t be the case. Quite the contrary. He tells us to present our all our requests to God through prayers and petitions.

But he adds that one little word. Two, really.

“With thanksgiving.”

Along with our prayers and petitions should also come words of thanksgiving.

It all goes back to verse 4.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Even when we’re feeling anxious, rejoice! Give thanks.

Rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in his goodness. Rejoice in his grace. Rejoice in the forgiveness we have through the cross. Rejoice in the fact that God now accepts us as his beloved children.

If I were to paraphrase verse 6, it would be this way:

“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition, not forgetting thanksgiving, but rejoicing in Him and his goodness, present your requests to God.”

And as we do, in the midst of our anxieties and trials, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (7)