Being thankful in advance of seeing the answer to your prayer request is a means of fanning the flame of your faith.

Praying God’s Word is an important principle for answered prayer. Philippians 4:6 encourages us to pray instead of worrying. In the midst of that prayer, we need say what God has said in His Word. And before the end of that prayer, we need to thank God for the answer, even before we see it or experience it. It’s a matter of expecting Him to show a high degree of integrity by following through on His word.

Paul wrote this verse to encourage the Philippians to freely give thanks; to use grateful language as an act of worship. Giving thanks to God is an expression of joy toward Him– of gratitude for HIs favor. Paul also wrote on the topic of being thankful in his letter to the Colossians. He encouraged them to live with an overflow of gratefulness. We’re to never stop giving thanks to God because it’s a form of praise. Praise keeps us aware of His presence!

Thankful During Infertility

I don’t believe I ever felt thankful for the infertility I experienced. But I did find ways to be thankful in it. I was thankful for Jesus’ comfort and wisdom, my supportive husband, my praying mother. My numerous caring and fun friends, the doctor who was understanding about my desire to avoid fertility treatments, my job with benefits, etc. were additional blessings I was thankful for.

Gratitude gave me strength and hope. It was a foundational building block for my faith that I would have a baby.

In the midst of infertility, it’s hard to see much to be thankful for because your focus is always influenced by what you don’t have… a baby. So it becomes a choice to admit that you can’t get along without Him, to purposely recognize God’s kindness, and to have a mindset of gratitude. This mindset involves thinking of ALL that God has done for you, especially in other areas of your life that aren’t directly connected to your fertility. And, it involves thanking Him for His loving hands working on your behalf, even when you can’t see it. You can find ways of thanking Him in advance of seeing the manifestation of your desires.

Thankful in Advance

With each expression of gratitude, you acknowledge the good, the favor, and the sweet harmony in your life. The more you give thanks, the more your awareness shifts from the negative to all the positive experiences you have. Using thankful language regularly redirects your focus to His love for you and away from any pain and lack.

Thankfulness is a way to kindle the flame of your faith. As the intensity of your faith grows, you find yourself more and more in line with God’s plan of abundance in your life. Keep fanning the flames of your faith by expressing your thankfulness!