Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
—Phillipians 4:6 KJV
Can you hear Paul saying it to the church at Philippi? “BE CAREFUL FOR NOTHING!!!” Isn’t it funny how it is always nothing that has nothing to do with nothing that seems to get us all discombobulated?
We get mad at our spouse, coworker, pastor, or parent, and usually at the end of all of it, we cannot even recall why we were mad. The fact is most of the time, it was over nothing. That’s right. Nothing. Nothing we could change. Nothing we could buy an answer to. Nothing we could heal, and nothing we could fix.
How many of us waste time in conversations with friends, family, and fellow believers communicating about the nothings? Do you know what nothings lead to? Nonproductiveness, discontentment, discouragement, disrespect, and depression. Paul warns us not to get caught up on the nothings, but rather focus on giving thanks in all things.
Thankfulness changes the atmosphere. It challenges attitudes to turn and increases productivity. Thankfulness raises the head, lifts the heart, puts pep in one’s step, and is contagious. May we challenge you to spend less time on the nothings and instead choose to be more thankful.
Our prayer for you this week: May God help us embrace thankfulness in all things.