Prayer with thanksgiving...

Matthew Henry is a well-known bible commentator who lived during the 17th century in England. He one day was robbed and that evening made the following Entry in his diary:

"Let me be thankful- First because I was never robbed before; second because although they took my wallet they did not take my life; third because although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed." - Matthew Henry

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding with guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

-The scriptures would tell us that when we pray, we are to have an understanding that we own nothing, are entitled to nothing, and ourselves own nothing. All we have, even our own lives are a gift from God and are to be counted as such. So when we pray, we do it knowing that everything we have is a gift. God rightfully sits over all of life and so we pray knowing that, thus we are thankful for what we have, seeing everything... EVERY THING as a gift. Every day, every good experience, every single thing is not ours but God's. So we pray knowing that we are not entitled to anything, and we brought nothing into this world and will take nothing away from it. He is good and in control, and we trust this. Nothing is ours and we are to remember this... Even as we pray. So we trust his goodness and his sovereignty that he is in control and working together all things for his glory and our good... Oh to pray the way that Matthew Henry did...