Thankfulness Reflects Our Faith
Do we believe God provides?

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”— Phil 4:6-7
As we walk with God, having a relationship with Him; we will grow in spirit. Our own selves will become less and He will become more. We realize our own weaknesses and lean on Him more and more.
This is the growth of our faith. We start to transition from flesh to spirit.
Notice in this verse the first phrase. “Be careful for nothing.”
In our flesh we have fear, doubt, worries and concerns. We see with our fleshly eyes and we are impacted by it. Like when Peter walked on water and took his eyes of Christ, because He was distracted by the wind and the waves.
In essence, it is a lack of trust in God. Because if we saw God standing next to us in awesome power, would we be concerned about anything? No. But, the enemy and our flesh distracts us and causes us to doubt or worry.
God has not given us a spirit of fear. It’s from the devil. (2 Tim 1:7)
God gives us power, love and a sound mind through the Holy Spirit.
Through Him we have access to the throne. He intercedes for us. He translates our prayer into the proper format for power. His love is in us. His truth and wisdom gives us a sound mind.
When we pray we trust Him. We put our faith in Him. We believe that He hears us and will respond. We believe it.
The next phrase says, “But in everything”, That means everything. There is nothing too small for God. There is nothing we need to hide from God, even if we could. We can trust Him.
We can boldly come to His throne in prayer.
Jesus said, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”— (John 14:13-14)
We can believe Him. We can believe His Word.
We pray in His name, under His authority and righteousness. Not our own.
As we grow closer in relationship with Him. We learn His character and His will. We grow less concerned for frivolous things, and trying to put on a front.
So, our prayer takes on a different flavor. We pray what He desires, and we are happy with what He brings us.
Not saying that life is a bed of roses. But, we have God with us, and that is really all that matters in the end.
We pray and cry out to God. We make our requests, and we do it with thanksgiving.
Because if you thank God for what he is going to do in the future, you are manifesting faith in Him and His Word. We trust His promises, so we thank Him ahead of time. It’s the faith that fuels the prayer to the Lord. He responds to our faith.
This faith and thankfulness works to bring peace. Because we have to go back to the original consideration.
Do we really believe?
It’s not easy.
But, when we pray and trust God, and thank Him for what he is about to do, we are exercising faith in the Lord that He moves, and this knowledge brings us peace.
He brings us peace through His Holy Spirit.
That peace is an abiding peace.
I don’t want the devil to use what I’m saying as a tool to beat you. We will have concern in life. We will have fear. But, Jesus is with us and He has overcome. (John 16:33)
Don’t let the enemy think that because you have worries or concerns that God is not with you. Have faith and turn it around to wage war on the enemy, who seeks to distract you and keep you from serving and walking with the Lord.
Our sins are washed away in the Blood of Jesus, there is no reason to fear. God is with us, if you know Him. It is HIS peace. Not our peace. (John 14:27)
His peace, which defies all our fleshly understanding will keep us with Him forever.
And we praise Him, and thank Him. Because of who He is and what He has done, and what we know He will do, because He promises.
Not that we should expect anything from God. He is not required to do anything. But, His character and promises give us faith, that He will move. It is who He is, and when we know Him, we can see it.
Praise Jesus
Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger from Southern Illinois.

