Philippians 4:6 NLT
[6] “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”
We have some great examples of the link between thanksgiving and prayer in Scripture. The more I read the Word, the more convinced I am that prayer is about having fellowship with the Father and receiving what He has promised rather than about asking Him to do what we want.
Abraham received God’s promise of a son decades before Isaac was born. How did he endure the waiting? He certainly didn’t become impatient or lose hope as time went by. He stood on God’s promise and grew in faith. How did he do that? It’s easy to give up when nothing is happening. Abraham kept his faith growing by “giving glory to God”. As long as he was thanking God instead of complaining or even asking, he had his eyes on God, not on his circumstances.
Romans 4:19-21 NIV
[19] “Without weakening in his faith, he (Abraham) faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. [20] Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, [21] being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”
David is also an excellent example of a man of God who knew how to pray.
2 Samuel 7:5, 8, 11, 17-18, 25-26 NLT
[5] “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in?…
[8] “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel….
[11]… “‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings!…
[17] So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision. [18] Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and prayed, “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?…
[25] “And now, O Lord God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. [26] And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.”
David prayed God’s promise back to Him and God was faithful to His Word even when David’s descendants forsook the Lord and worshipped idols.
Jesus, our supreme example, thanked the Father for answering Him rather than praying for issues He confronted.
John 6:11 NIV
[11] “Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.”
John 11:41-42 NIV
[41] “So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. [42] I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
Against the background of His union with the Father and His obedience and submission to the Father’s will, Jesus prayed His thanks, being confident that the Father would always do what He said.
What if, instead of rushing in with our crisis prayers and requests for what we want, we take time to discern the Father’s will or at least are submitted to His ways. Thanksgiving will prepare our hearts to approach Him in humility, allowing Him to be God in all situations. We are disappointed when God does not answer according to our expectations. How much better when we embrace His will with thanksgiving, knowing, as always, that He is working in all things for our good and for His glory.