Keeping Alert With An Attitude Of Thanksgiving

Today’s Word Of Encouragement From Wayne:

“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving”

Colossians 4:2

Here is a great piece of advice and encouragement for us, from the apostle Paul, concerning how we may experience a more enlivened and effectual prayer life.

Let us keep alert with an attitude of thanksgiving.

Giving thanks to God keeps us most blessedly aware of our Lord. Whereas praying without thanksgiving can lock us up in complete self-awareness, thereby depriving ourselves of the great blessing that God’s presence provides.

I recommend, even before you pray, that you would first “enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4). This indicates that you are indeed alert to your Lord’s majesty and presence. Then “with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippine 4:6). 

This is a great, God honoring, and joyful way to pray, being more aware of and more alert to our God than even to our own requests. In this way we are blessed to see our great God’s loving grace and goodness over all of our requests and supplications.

Keeping alert with an attitude of thanksgiving is also a great way to be more aware of God’s blessings in your life throughout each day. There’s something about maintaining an attitude of thanksgiving to God that let’s you see His hand much more readily and clearly in your life, from small things to big things.

Yes Lord, we offer our thanksgivings to You. You are so good to us and Your lovingkindness is everlasting. May we be alert to Your presence, Lordship and leading in our lives throughout this day. Thank You Jesus. Hallelujah!