Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Phil. 4:6)
I’m wondering if I like or dislike Paul’s use of catch-all words like “anything” and “everything”. I mean don’t be anxious for anything – that means everything. That means zero anxiety about anything at all. Instead, Paul says, I am to present (offer to God) my requests to Him in “everything”. And if I read this correctly, he is not limiting our requests to those things that make us anxious, but rather in “everything” present our requests to God. And today, that’s what really stands out to me – this idea that I am to present my requests to God in “everything”. If I will take that seriously, then I am sure that there will be no anxious thoughts about some things. Prayer over everything trumps anxiety over a few things every time. And isn’t that kind of what Paul is saying in v. 7?
A few more quick thoughts — We are to present our requests to God through PRAYER and PETITION. When I think of prayer, and particularly in contrast to petition, I see prayer as talking with God and listening and enjoying a relationship with Him. The petition piece is where we ask God for something. And so asking God for something, then, comes from a place of relationship rather than approaching Him as some sort of vending machine.
And lastly, I cannot forget to mention the great need to be thankful. It really underlies our requests and prevents us from coming to God with a demanding spirit. Having a thankful heart is our way of staying humble before God and being open to whatever He might bring.