| We are living in an anxious age. Many of my friends involved in social work continue to share that increasing numbers of people are struggling with anxiety. What would the Lord have to say to us regarding this during this Thanksgiving season? One of my all-time favorite passages of scripture is Philippians 4:6-7, it reads as follows:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the pace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
I’ve often had to remind myself of God’s great promise in this verse as I’ve felt anxiety and worry in my own heart over something I’m facing. I’ve claimed this promise and went to Him in prayer to hand it over to Him. Let’s look at it a bit.
This promise covers any situation we’re facing that creates anxiety. It may seem small to someone else or it may be an issue that would make any of us hit our knees, but our Father says I will cover anything that makes you anxious. We see this in the words “anything” and “everything” in verse 6. What about this command to bring our requests with thanksgiving? What role does thanksgiving play in this? As I thought about this, perhaps the Lord wants us to remember all the faithful care in our lives He has already accomplished. What about the situations in the past we’ve been anxious over and we’ve seen Him provide. In the last couple of days, I’ve just seen the Lord answer with provision in an amazing way that had created a small amount of anxiety for me. I’ve seen Him do this over and over.
As we enter this special time of Thanksgiving, I know that I can benefit from recalling with gratitude the many times I’ve seen the Lord provide and move me through anxious moments in my past to a place of peace. This builds our faith and as we continue to face anxious moments we need to approach his “throne of grace boldly” with confidence and thanksgiving knowing that He is a faithful father who loves His children more than we can imagine. We can then rest in that confidence and have a peace that can only come from Christ in a difficult time.
Please know that we are grateful for each of you who make this ministry possible and share your resources, time, and prayers with us to see Christ continue to make a difference in the lives of those we serve. I hope you can remember all the goodness of God to you during Thanksgiving and it will give you peace, courage, and hope as you encounter challenges you may face. | 
