How can we lift up prayers and supplications with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6)?

In Philippians 4:6, Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (ESV). Paul commands us to avoid anxiety. How can we do that? By lifting up prayers and supplications and being filled with thanksgiving. In every circumstance, whether great or small, we should always be thankful to God. The result is that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7, ESV).

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He often lifted up prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Before feeding the five thousand, for example, Jesus “took the seven loaves and gave thanks” (Mark 8:6, NKJV). Here, Jesus exemplifies how our prayers should always begin by giving thanks for the Father’s provision.

Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper offers further insights into how to lift up prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, especially during stressful times. On the night of His arrest, Jesus “took bread, gave thanks and broke it” (Luke 22:19). The broken bread represented His soon-to-be-broken body, yet He gave thanks. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed with humble submission to God’s sovereign will (Luke 22:42). Thankfulness, in that context, accepts the reality of suffering. Thankfulness involves trusting in the goodness and authority of God over every circumstance (Romans 8:28).

The act of lifting up prayer and supplication with thanksgiving also involves acknowledging God’s faithfulness. Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Jesus prayed, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me” (John 11:41–42, ESV). Jesus’ prayer reflects a profound sense of thanksgiving, grounded in a continuous relational dialogue with the Father. It acknowledges the Father’s awareness of our needs (Matthew 6:8) and His preparedness to intervene on our behalf (1 Peter 5:7).

Furthermore, to lift up prayer and supplication with thanksgiving requires us to maintain a spirit of joy and gratitude in regular communion with God. This is exemplified by the early church: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42, ESV). The early church’s practice of prayer was not merely a religious duty but a vital expression of a living faith and gratitude toward God.

Paul’s instructions in Philippians 4:6, therefore, are rooted in the life and teachings of Jesus. To lift up prayer and supplication with thanksgiving is to worship God, submit to His will, and rejoice in His steadfast love and mercy. Every request we bring to God is accompanied with a thankful heart.

As we lift up prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, we are prompted to have a deeper relationship with God that is based on trust, submission, and gratitude. This does more than change how we pray; it also changes how we live, flooding our hearts with peace grounded not in circumstances but in the Savior. Let us embrace Paul’s instruction wholeheartedly, continually lifting up prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.