Most days in front of the Art Institute there is a group of men who are drumming on plastic buckets. They are trying to get someone’s attention to receive a donation for their efforts. St. Paul tells us that is not how we should approach God. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. We don’t need to get God’s attention. God knows our needs. We make our petitions not to get God to change the divine mind but that our minds will be changed to total reliance on God. We aren’t in the position of beggers. We are beloved children. God sometimes doesn’t give us the cookie we are asking for but instead suggests we eat an apple. For that reason even when we are making our prayers, even when we are naming our needs, we do so with an attitude of gratitude. We know how blessed we are, how God has been with us every step of the way. We can trust that the God who brought us this far by faith is not about to leave us now. Prayer is not a form of religious “go fish” where we feel the prayer worked when we got what we wanted. Our prayer is heard whatever the outcome. That helps to explain St. Paul’s opening admonition: “Have no anxiety at all.” We have no anxiety because we are sure that whatever comes will be for the best since God loves us unconditionally.
