Give Thanks 3: Pray with Thanksgiving

This is the third devotional on Give Thanks, this year’s theme to prepare us to pray for prodigals on June 2, the Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day. This and the next two devotionals will be focused on those who love a prodigal, but they are true and helpful for anyone.

I’m almost always consistent in praying about almost everything.

Things such as:

My prodigal got stuck in the sand at Daytona Beach in his lowered truck—and the tide was coming in.

When he and his friend had too much to drink and ran off the road and landed on an electrical box. Both were knocked out and a fire started.

When he was trimming a large hedge with a chain saw, which kicked back and gashed his head.

And recently when that former prodigal was building pasture fencing and cut his finger half off.

I had no trouble praying for each of those and so many more.

But in Philippian 4:6 the instructions are more specific: Pray about everything, with thanksgiving.

Pray, of course. Give thanks, much harder.

But that is exactly what we need to do. Give thanks. It has been one of the most important, helpful, even life-changing truths I have learned.

Why does He say this? Everything? All things? How can we do it? He says it because He knows giving thanks is the fastest way to change us.

When we say, “Thank You, Lord,” almost immediately our focus changes. Instead of centering on the pain caused by my circumstances, I center on God. Sometimes it is barely perceptible, but it’s there. A small shift from fear to faith.

When we say, “Thank You, Lord,” we are saying, “I believe You are God and I believe You are good. It doesn’t feel like it right now, but Your Word assures me it is true, I have known it to be true, and I choose to believe it now.”

When we say, “Thank You, Lord,” we are expressing trust in God and His trustworthiness. That step of faith and obedience does a couple of wonderful things:

My mind and my emotions quiet, settle, perhaps even relax. I begin to experience peace in the midst of turmoil, hope when there seems to be none.

And in ways I don’t fully understand, saying “Thank You” begins to open doors. It's as if those words said in hesitant trust give God a key to us, to our hearts and minds. With that key He unlocks doors shut by our pain, our anger, our fear, our resistance. We begin to get glimpses of answers to our prayers, of more steps forward than backward, of new attitudes. And occasionally of outright transformation.

So my encouragement to you as we prepare for Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day is to do just that: Give thanks.

How? Every day, name or write down at least one thing concerning your prodigal that you are thankful for. Can’t think of any? Then start with things in your own life and relationship with God.

Try adding one more specific “thank you” each day. By June 2 you will have a great gratitude list.

But if one is all you can manage, God will gladly receive that.

And still begin that transforming work in your heart and mind.

Here’s a great song from Andrae Crouch to help with giving thanks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1E_4ooa8bo

What about you? What’s the first thing you can thank God for?Gratefully,

Judy Douglass

P.S. Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day is just two weeks away. I hope these brief devotionals are helping to prepare your heart and mind for entering into battle with the enemy of our souls—and helping you respond with thanksgiving.

P.S. You might want to invite friends who have a prodigal to join with you on June 2. Or maybe a group from your church. You can do it in person or virtually. And we are still taking names to pray for. Write us at PrayerforProdigals@gmail.com.