Don’t Worry Be Thankful Read Philippines 4:1-9

“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let you requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6, NRSV). We were sitting in the waiting room of the physical therapy center, my wife and I. While waiting a man who looked to be in his 50s or 60s came in. The young ladies at the reception desk politely welcomed the man saying “good morning.” The man asked. “What’s so good about it?” One of the young ladies said in a happy and reassuring voice, “Your head is above the ground.” Now, this rang a bell with me because I often begin my prayers by saying, “Thank you for life.” I cannot begin to count the number of times that I have heard someone pray thanking God for being in the land of the living. Later in the day I was thinking about what I would write for this Thanksgiving Day Article. I noticed in the local newspaper a copy of the Thanksgiving proclamation issued by President George Washington on October 3, 1789. This space will not allow me to write the whole proclamation, but I suggest that you Google it and notice the difference in what he says and compare it with what we have heard recent presidents say about God. As I read this proclamation I thought about how the apostle Paul urged his audiences to be thankful regardless of the circumstances they faced. I thought about Philippians 4:6. “Be anxious for nothing (don’t worry, NRSV), but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made to God” (NASB). I also noticed that in verse seven Paul tells us the results of our prayers with thanksgiving. He says, “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension (understanding, NRSV), will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (NASB). When I read the words “don’t worry” in the NRSV I thought about the song “Don’t Worry Be Happy” recorded by Bobby McFerrin in 1988. Don’t Worry Be Happy won the Grammy Award for song of the year. Thus the title of this article “Don’t worry Be Thankful.” Let us examine Paul’s words to the Philippians. When Paul writes this letter he is in a Roman prison. He is not sure if he will live or die. He is somewhat undecided if he wants to live or die and go to be with the Lord (1:18-26). Paul writes this letter as a thank you letter for these Christians because they have supported him and his ministry more than any other church. He wants to encourage them to continue in the work of spreading the Gospel regardless of what happens to him. Paul has both supporters and those who oppose him, but he is thankful for everything because he knows that he is doing the work of the Lord, and he knows that God is always with him. Here are six reasons that we should thank God in everything. Since the number seven means “completion” I will allow you to come up with a seventh one. First, we can be thankful because God is sovereign. He can do whatever He wants to do, and no one can challenge His mighty power and His authority. God acts according to His own counsel, and He does not need nor will He accept another’s help and advice. Nothing can escape God’s presence and His power. Thus, when we pray with thanksgiving we are expressing our assurance that God is with us in every situation (Psalm 139) A second reason that we pray with thanksgiving is because God loves His world. God gave His Son Jesus Christ to save the world (John 3:16). This love was demonstrated to us by Jesus’ death on the cross for our redemption from our sins (Rom. 5:8). Like Paul we can face any situation with the assurance that God loves us and He will never leave us. A third reason for praying with thanksgiving is that we are reminded that God has plans for our good (Jer. 29:11). This is a unique passage and it is often misunderstood. Let us look at this passage. It says, “‘For I know the plans that I have for you’ declares the LORD. ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope” (NASB). Some people believe that God protects us from anything that has the possibility of causing us harm. It is God’s way of saying that we can avoid troubles. Nothing could be farther from the truth. In this passage the Hebrews are told that they will be taken into exile and they will suffer the loss of their land and homes. They will be among a people that worship other gods. They will be in exile for seventy years. However, while in exile God will be with them, and they will be able to have a good life. They will find peace in a foreign land. After seventy years God will bring His people home. Today, many Americans are worrying about what is going to happen in our country under an unpopular and unconventional president. Christians continue to pray with thanksgiving because we know that God has plans for our good and not for our destruction. God uses us to witness for Jesus Christ. Like Paul, we know that prison walls and chains do not bind the Gospel. Paul used his imprisonment as a platform to witness to others telling them about the saving grace of God found in Jesus Christ. Paul tells us that there are those who oppose him, but their opposition to him causes them to tell people about the Gospel (Phil. 1:12-18) which is the goal of Paul’s preaching. When we are faced with trials and tribulations we are in a dark place. Now, this is not a good place to be in most cases. It is likely that we will not be comfortable with the situation. Dark places call for courage and perseverance. So, why should we be thankful in dark places? When we pray with thanksgiving God uses us to be lights in the dark place. Our light which comes from our faith in Christ and our relationship to Him becomes an example to others on how to live during hard times. Christians are in position to demonstrate to others that we don’t need to worry. We come to reason number six for praying with thanksgiving. We pray with thanksgiving because our hope is in the resurrection. Our hope is not in having an ideal life in this present world. The hope of the resurrection gives us peace beyond our understanding. We don’t have everything figured out, but we know that in Christ Jesus we are always in the presence of a mighty God who works everything together for our good. All people die, but those who are in Christ will be resurrected to eternal life, and they will live with the Lord forever.