The Gift of Gratitude - Philippians 4:4-6
November 23, 2025
With thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.
The Gift of Gratitude
Philippians 4:4-7
Thankfulness isn’t usually our first instinct when life is hard—jobs are lost, loved ones die, times are tough—and even Scripture shows Jesus weeping, the Psalmist asking hard questions, and Paul writing from prison. Yet Paul urges us to bring our requests to God “with thanksgiving,” not because thankfulness ignores pain, but because it helps us see that God is with us even in the dark valley. Gratitude is a vital spiritual discipline that opens our eyes, costs us our fixation on what we want, and helps us appreciate what we have—even hot dogs or peanut butter when we want steak. Thankfulness is an act of faith; it doesn’t remove our troubles, but it takes away much of their power as we remember God’s presence, provision, and what we can do and give, not just what we’re missing.
