Prayer and Thanksgiving

Prayer and Thanksgiving

The scrolling took me by surprise. I wouldn’t believe that I was still scrolling through social media when I had a ton of work to do. My heart felt heavy as I closed my phone and put it aside. I pulled out my Bible. The whole reason I had gotten up early was to read and pray before the kids were up and getting ready for school. 

When I looked at the clock I realized that it had been thirty minutes! Not only had I wasted time on my phone, I didn’t have time to read or pray now. On top of that, my heart was sad and depressed after looking at all of the pretty pictures online. Curated, designed, with words of encouragement but also whispers of….

I’m not enough.

Comparison is a real thing on social media. Even if you feel your feed as best you can with images of positivity and Bible verses, your heart gets sucked into a false world. A world that doesn’t exist in real life. So, when you do engage with your real life, suddenly it isn’t as shiny. 

My husband and I have been quietly memorizing Philippians 4 and verses 6-7 are always a conviction to me. Yes, they comfort me, but they also convict. Paul says: 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

How do I battle anxiety? With prayer and thanksgiving. Those two go together. Sure, we celebrate the holiday Thanksgiving once a year, but does my life really mirror one that is marked by giving thanks? I’ll admit, it doesn’t always go that way. 

I find myself complaining more than giving thanks.

Or I find myself comparing more than giving thanks.

I find myself worrying and stressing more than giving thanks. 

For me, I’ve found that cultivating a heart of thanksgiving begins with prayer. Intentional and meaningful prayer. There are a ton of resources to help with prayer, but I recently came across this journal. In 2024 one of my goals is to be very intentional with my prayer life. 

For something to be a habit I need to do it several times and sometimes it feels more like a check-list item for a while. That’s ok! I used to have to treat Bible reading as a check-list item but now I read the Bible without even a second thought. I want prayer to be the same. 

As the year begins, I’ll be using this journal each morning with my coffee and Bible to help me to remember to pray, keep me focused with my prayers, and to give my heart a place to give thanks. 

You can get a copy here.

Tomorrow morning I’m going to wake up early again, turn my coffee on, and before pouring a cup, I’ll grab my journal and pray and give thanks. I have something in my hand so I’m not distracted with social media. I’ll probably leave my phone in my bedroom as well. Giving thanks is better than scrolling. Prayer will bring me closer to God.