Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Phil 4:6-7
O God.
How often do I come to you to express my thanks?
Not nearly as often as I should.
I am so caught up in my anxieties that I am completely blind to all the blessings that surround me. I am so busy that I have forgotten what all my busyness is about.
Because most of the time, my busyness comes from a place of fear.
Fear that I don’t have enough.
Fear that what I have will be taken away from me.
Fear that I just don’t measure up in the eyes of others.
It rarely occurs to me that I have so much to be thankful for, even in the midst of fear and overwhelm.
So on this Thanksgiving Day, I take a moment to give thanks.
I give thanks for my very breath, that most elemental life-giving force.
I give thanks for my family and friends, the people who sustain my spirit through our relationships.
I give thanks for my work, which allows me to live with purpose, care for my family with dignity, and serve others.
I give thanks for the times when I don’t get my own way. For I am reminded that I am ultimately not in control of my life. The gift of surrendering to this reality allows me to give up my anxiety, worry, and narcissism.
I give thanks for the gift of love that is the very fabric of reality. Without love, nothing can survive.
I give thanks for my soul, something that is a mystery even to myself.
I give thanks for the power of kind words, loving smiles, and warm embraces. I give thanks for the power of poetry and music.
I give thanks for the fact that I am approaching my death with each passing day. Because with each passing day, I see more vividly the preciousness of life.
Help me to see the world through the eyes of gratitude rather than through the eyes of entitlement.
I am entitled to nothing.
Everything is a gift.
And the most appropriate thing I can do in response is to say thanks.
Thank you.
Amen.
Thank you, Cylon,
I am always thankful when I receive your posts, Cylon,
May I wish you, your family and your community, a very happy Thanksgiving Day.
Kindest thoughts,
Zara.
Thank you Zara. I am thankful for your support and friendship 🙂
Thank you for this! I often forget to count my blessings when difficulties are prominent in my life. But it is so true that there are blessings in abundance, always if we choose to focus on them. Have a wonderful holiday & thanks again for being spot on 🙂
It’s my pleasure. We all need to be reminded because it’s so easy to focus on what’s not working. That’s the gift we can be to each other – when I forget, others can remind me too. A blessed Thanksgiving to you as well.
I read this prayer before we had dinner and also on the phone with a long distance family member and everyone appreciated it! Thanks again 🙂
Wow, I am humbled to know that you used my prayer in these ways. Thank you for sharing the prayer 🙂
Amen! Thank you for hitting on so many of the things I can forget to be thankful for