Philippians 4:4-9
Your Story
Tell your family about some things for which you are thankful. Include ways that God has answered your prayers this year.
My Story and the Bible Story
This is the time of year when we stuff our faces with turkey, dumplings (my grandmother makes the best!), mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, and a lot more dessert than we need. But it’s also a time when we gather with our families and remember the things for which we are thankful. This year I am thankful that my sister got into a program to train her to live out her calling. I’m thankful for another year at a wonderful church, and I am thankful to know so many caring people here. I am thankful for the smiles and hugs from the kids at church, and I am grateful that I get to teach them each week. I am thankful for my family and my friends, both near and far.
It can be easy to forget our blessings. During moments of pain, anger, or sadness, it can be easy to forget all the good things we have. That’s why this passage from Philippians is so important.
Read Philippians 4:4-9.
This is one of my favorite passages of Scripture because it reminds me not to worry. Worrying doesn’t get us anywhere. All it does is upset us and make us feel bad. Worrying doesn’t change what’s going to happen. God doesn’t want us to worry; God wants us to talk about it. Tell God what’s going on, what we’re worried about, and what we need. But God also wants us to come with thankful hearts. When we worry, we tend to forget how big God is. We forget that God created the universe, knows everything about everyone, and, no matter how many people God has created, still wants to talk to us. When we come to God with thankful hearts, it means that we remember the things God has done. We remember how God has been there for us, helped us, and loves us. When we thank God for things, we remember that God is in control and we are not, and that no matter what happens, God will never leave us.
Thanksgiving is a time of remembering the good things and being thankful for them. It’s also a time when we can remember everything God has done for us and be thankful for God. When we remember the things God has done, we receive God’s peace. We see that in those times, God showed up for us, and we know God will always be there and will always love us. So whether you are worried or full of thankfulness, present your requests to God with a thankful heart, because God will always be there for you. And when you do, you will find God’s peace.
Discussion and Prayer
1. Ask your family about things for which they are thankful. Talk about these things as a family.
2. Ask your family if they are worried about anything.
3. Pray, presenting your requests to God. If you are worried or upset, give your concerns to God. Give thanks for specific things God has done in your life and in the lives of your family members. Ask for God’s peace.
Rev. Jessica Asbell is the Minister to Children and Families at First Baptist Roswell, where she has been serving since 2012. She has written the children’s curriculum for Smyth & Helwys’s Annual Bible Study for the books of Daniel; Ezekiel; Luke; Jonah; 1 Corinthians; 1, 2, 3 John and Jude; Colossians; The Story of Israel’s Ancestors: Living toward a Promise; and Where Faith & Family Meet: A Book of Weekly Devotions. She has also written for CBF’s Spark and Form and for Affect in CBF’s fellowship! magazine. Married to Jonathan Oravec, Jessica reads every chance she gets.
