If anxiety has a grip on us for any reason, we should apply Paul’s counsel: “Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving let your petitions be made known to God.” (Phil. 4:6) “To supplicate” means “to make a humble entreaty.” Especially during danger or persecution should we beseech Jehovah for help and guidance.
If we prayed only when we needed something, however, what would that reveal about our motives? Paul said that we should make our petitions known to God “along with thanksgiving.” We certainly have reason to express sentiments like those of David: “Yours, O Jehovah, are the greatness and the mightiness and the beauty and the excellency and the dignity; for everything in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Jehovah, the One also lifting yourself up as head over all. . . . O our God, we are thanking you and praising your beauteous name.”—1 Chron. 29:11-13.
Jesus thanked God for food and for the bread and wine used at the Lord’s Evening Meal. (Matt. 15:36; Mark 14:22, 23) Besides expressing similar gratitude, we should “give thanks to Jehovah” for “his wonderful works to the sons of men,” for his “righteous judicial decisions,” and for his word, or message, now available in the Bible.—Ps. 107:15; 119:62, 105.
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