What Are You Careful About? Part 2

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God (Philippians 4:6).

What should you do when worry presses down on you, when your heart is tempted to become “careful?” In the previous post, we talked about carefulness, and how God commands us to be careful for nothing but to pray in everything! In today’s post, I’d like to delve a bit deeper into this topic of prayer and supplication.

By Prayer and Supplication

We know the promise following this verse—however, God gave that promise after He also gave a command. He commands us to, “by prayer and supplication, let our requests be made known unto God.” Obviously, God puts a distinction between prayer and supplication.

Prayer is simply talking to God. Sometimes our prayers involve confession, other times praise or intercession (praying for others). Supplication is a specific application of prayer. We call it, sometimes, “desperation prayer.” It is humble, needy, heart-prayer, really laying hold of God, beseeching Him for favor (requesting, not demanding). As a side note, the Hebrew word is translated as “entreaties” in Proverbs 18:23. And one of the definitions of entreaty is “urgent prayer”.

If you’ve ever cast your care on the Lord; if you have laid on Him a pressing burden, the weight of which was far too heavy for you to carry; or, if you have come to Him out of fear and anxiety, you can testify that this is the type of prayer needed to really get with God and get that burden lifted. It’s not my lips moving but my mind wandering. This doesn’t mean it has to be long or repetitious, but supplication is humbly, intensely earnest.

Sometimes we have not because we ask not, or we ask amiss, not really seeking God. Be specific when you pray; don’t demand, but be specific in your request, then leave it to Him and accept His answer.

There are many examples of “desperation prayer” in Scripture. I love Hezekiah’s prayer in 2 Kings 19:14-19. He spread the letter from Israel’s enemies out before the Lord, and gave it all to Him. His prayer ends, “Now therefore, O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.“

Or, there’s one of my favorite stories in all Scripture. You’ll have to read it for yourself, since it’s much too long to include here. You can find the story in 2 Chronicles 20, where King Jehoshaphat and Israel find themselves in an awful situation. Surrounded by their enemies who are far more powerful than they are. The climax of Jehoshaphat’s prayer is verse 12: “O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.”

Oh, I love that! “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are upon You, Lord!” As terrifying as those kinds of situations can be, they are also so precious. It’s at times like those that we really get to know our God. There are many other examples of desperation prayer in the Bible; I’ll list some references here so that you can look them up if you’d like. Psalm 9:13-14, Psalm 10:12, Psalm 16:1, Psalm 17:1-2, 5; Psalm 17:6-8, Psalm 25:1-5. Another incredible example is Nehemiah’s prayer in Nehemiah chapter one.

Notice that supplication involves a request, not a demand! God is God, and we are but man. He’s not a magician, and He’s not our equal. We are to request, knowing that whatever His love and wisdom ordain is indeed best. Is God always going to do what we want? Is He always going to answer prayers with a yes?

This question brings us to the heart of prayer. Is prayer about getting what we want, or is there something more to it?

The Heart of Prayer—With Thanksgiving

Notice the final part of this verse. Make request—with thanksgiving! I don’t know about you, but sometimes my prayers can be very selfish. It’s easy to come before God and want Him to undertake on my behalf. It’s also easy to forget all He’s done for me already!

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving (Colossians 4:2). Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and to sing praise unto Thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night (Psalm 92:1-2). And my special verse for this year: Now thanks be unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Thanksgiving makes prayer about God, and not about us. We can choose where our focus will be—on what we have, or on what we don’t have. He “giveth us richly all things to enjoy”! Sometimes, it is just the little things. Thank Him for the sunshine, a bird song, the scent of lilacs, a smile from a stranger, a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter day. These things we take for granted, yet they are gifts.

But there are dark days when your heart just isn’t in it. When you’re hurting, scared, confused, or disappointed. There are days when it seems that the trials outweigh the blessings. Then, give thanks for Jesus. As my pastor says, “Our worst day saved is better than our best day lost.” Like Job, everything might be taken from us—health, freedom, family, friends, possessions, reputation, job, wealth… but Jesus can never be taken from us! He will never leave or forsake you.

The command to offer thanksgiving to God brings us to the heart of prayer. Trust and surrender. He is God, therefore He is loving, good, and just. I am His, and He is my Lord and King. Therefore I look humbly to Him, wait upon Him, and trust His will in all things.

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him (Matthew 6:7-8). If He already knows, then why pray? Because the essence of prayer is not getting what I want. Prayer is about getting hold of God. It’s about coming to know God, having a relationship with Him.

Because He’s enough! Even if He doesn’t answer that specific prayer, or if He answers with a no—we know Him. We can rest joyful and content regardless of the outcome. And knowing Him will bring the promised result of Philippians 4:7, And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

There is peace only in Christ, not in having the perfect life. He gives peace regardless of circumstances! Dear sister, bring to Him your every care, and stay your mind on Him!

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee (Isaiah 26:4).