Today I'm thankful for ...

There are all sorts of things that you may be feeling anxious and worried about at the moment. I know that the list of prayer requests on our church WhatsApp group continues to grow as we pray for family and friends who are working on the frontline in the NHS, those who have coronavirus, those whose regular medical conditions and care are being impacted by the current crisis, those who are struggling with the impact of isolation ... 

There is certainly a lot to be anxious about. But in Philippians 4:4-7 Paul writes:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 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.

God invites us to bring our concerns and needs to him in prayer, and he promises to give us his peace - a peace that is beyond all understanding - a peace that makes no sense given the circumstances we are in. 

But God invites us to bring our concerns and needs along with thanksgiving. Paul tells us to rejoice always. 

That might seem beyond you at the moment depending on your situation. I know from my own experience, sitting at a hospital bedside, watching the monitors and listening to the beeps, that there are times when even simple prayers have been beyond me - let alone looking for something to be thankful for.

Looking back I'm thankful that at those times God promises to hear our unspoken groans and cries - and that there were others who were able to pray for me and on my behalf.


One of the things that we're doing as a family in this time of staying at home is to start each meal, going round the table, stating one thing that we're glad for. Our glad list is now getting quite long. 

This time has certainly made me more thankful for the things that we do have and has dispelled any sense of taking things for granted. I'm thankful that we're still allowed out to exercise once a day, that we live in a beautiful part of the world, that God's creation is so amazing, and that the sun comes up each morning.

I'm also thankful for music.