At the beginning of this year’s study in my 4th and 5th grade Bible class, I had only two boys. I always have the boys lead the prayer at the end of class. The first Sunday, I called on one of the boys, and he told me that he had never led a prayer. I admit that I was a little shocked, since I thought he would have at least led a prayer at home.
I asked this young man if he was willing to try, and he agreed. We talked about how to address God, praying for things that were meaningful to him, and closing the prayer in Jesus’ name.
His first attempt was a struggle; but as time has passed, he has become quite proficient in his prayers. The one thing I have noticed about his prayers is that they are always prayers of thanks. He never fails to pray for me and for our class. It sometimes brings tears to my eyes as I listen to his prayer of thanksgiving.
For someone who had never led a prayer, this young man has developed a habit of thanking God not asking God. It’s a lesson we could all learn to do more often. I know that God wants us to ask Him for things. He wants us to depend on Him and express our need for His help. I also believe He wants to know that we are thankful for what He does for us each day.
There are two passages of Scripture that can help us make more of our prayers about being thankful. The first is Philippians 4:11. Paul says, “…for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content”. Paul says that learning to be content was a learning process. Being content is a state of mind. When we are content, we can be thankful.
The second passage is First Thessalonians 5:17. Paul’s instruction here is to “Pray without ceasing”. He is telling us here to live in a devotional frame of mind. We need to be in a spirit of prayer. It’s a matter of the heart. If our heart is right, we can be thankful.
May we all try to live lives of thankfulness, be content with what is happening in our lives, and have a spirit of thankfulness to God in whatever circumstance we might find ourselves.