Prayer

Philippians 4:6-7-"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." God wants to hear our prayers, but to keep them from becoming too self-focused, God wants us always to remember to give thanks. It is so easy for us to turn prayer into a request line. Where we begin to give God a list of requests and desires that we feel we need in our lives and yet we miss out on the most wonderful part of prayer which is the time of praise and thanksgiving to God. When we focus only on ourselves and our needs, wants and desires, we are the ones who are left bereft when thanksgiving and praise are robbed from our prayers. Paul told the church in Thessolonica, "In everything give thanks.." (1 Thessalonians 5:18).