My Requests. Philippians 4:6. “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Worry can become a serious problem when we concentrate only on problems. It is much more helpful to speak our concerns aloud to our Gracious Father. Worry is a natural reaction to my old nature, but it really shows that I doubt God and His ability to help, regardless of the situation or problem. Anxiety, or being “careful,” as mentioned in this passage of scripture, involves caring about our own self-centered interests rather than genuinely caring about important things, like spreading the Gospel and saving precious souls.
There is a “constraint” to preach the Gospel driven by Christ's love for us and within us. Every lost soul on the verge of eternity is a cause for anxious concern, earnest prayer, and intercession on their behalf. Anxiety and selfish interests or personal worries are an opposing force to “by prayer and supplication (petition), with thanksgiving” when we make our requests to God. Thanksgiving truly acts as an antidote to anxiety.
When we approach our Father in heaven and “cast our burdens” on Him, expressing gratitude for past blessings, His mercy, grace, patience, and willingness to handle those burdens according to His will is the worry-relieving response that brings peace. The more we pray, the less we worry. When worry arises, pause everything and pray. Leave the worry and its cause with God, and continue with the work He has given you. Rest in the Lord because He knows the end from the beginning. He is the beginning and the end!
When worry takes over, the pace continues; agitation shows clearly; fingernails are short because they've been chewed off; there are long stares fixed on nothing; quick glances through the window, deep sighs; short words, furrowed brow; disheveled hair - what is wrong? Why such anxiety? Is God dead?
Then, in prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, the head is bowed, the knees are bent, and the eyes are closed. The heart is opened first to seek the Lord, then the emotions, then the mouth. The tongue and lips, vocal cords and breath, and brain express in words what has grieved the soul and dampened the spirit. But when all these things join in harmonious unison, we think about and are thankful for what God said would happen.
Scattered thoughts are gathered and arranged into orderly lines. Then, these thoughts become words that are appropriate to the problem, the issues to face, or the danger involved. The mind recalls past blessings and present Persons of the Godhead who are with us and for us. Thanksgivings take the form of words of gratitude and praise, bringing joy for what God has done and will do for us. The affairs and demands of life are expressed in words before the throne of grace, where we find mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. Daily duties that are repetitive and boring are voiced, and we find the strength to do what is needed again and again. The word of God assures us that our requests are heard; our God has not hidden His face from us!
There are some unusual things that have come to our attention that we must face and act upon promptly. We cannot delay the decisions that must be made now, hoping they will resolve themselves. Go now, make your request, then rest for a moment, knowing that God is aware of what needs to be done and the best way to do it. You’ve never been this way before; the place and people are unfamiliar. How should I act? What should I say? What should I avoid saying? The culture, language, landscape, and weather are different from what I am used to, so what should I prepare for? What can I do to be effective in the work ahead? Make your requests. Move forward with confidence; God says all things are His, and He knows every need and will supply from His abundant storehouse of wisdom and grace.
When personal matters are known only to you and God, do not hesitate to make those requests known to Him. They might be family issues, and you’ve done what you believed was right, but they didn’t turn out as you expected. Now they’re gone, and it's too late to change anything. Go ahead and express your requests to God. There are concerns related to assembly, finances, and health — covering past, present, and future. Be thankful, be specific in your prayers — and rest assured, for God lives, answers prayers, and grants us His peace.
The value of prayer is that it relieves the pressure of any situation so we can lay it before our Lord and not become overwhelmed with anxiety. When combined with the virtue of praise, peace follows because it fosters a awareness of God's involvement in everything. The benefit for us is that we grow more Christ-like and can perceive the mind of Christ within us. When gratitude and praise are present in tough times, our witness to others becomes more powerful, there's greater unity among God's people, and peace enters our own hearts. This guards our hearts and minds against the inevitable stresses of life, helping us to live well.