Rejoice Always?
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NIV)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
I don’t know if you can identify with me, but my temperament tends to be a ‘glass is half empty’ kind of person because of my perfectionism. In my normal viewpoint things can always be better, improved upon, and it’s hard to be satisfied, content, even glad about what is. And yet here is Paul reminding us that we need to lift our eyes up to God by rejoicing always, praying continually, and giving thanks in all circumstances. But how can I rejoice always? I just had a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day. My boss chewed me out. The car died on the way home from work. My spouse and I had a huge argument. I burned dinner. My kids are disobeying and driving me up the wall. What is there to rejoice in?
There is always something to rejoice in. Likewise there is always something to give thanks for regardless of the circumstances. Even in the midst of a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day, we can rejoice and be thankful that we have a job. We are able to afford a car, in fact we have two of them. In the face of a bad day and sour attitudes, we tend to overlook all the good God has done for us and provided in our life. We focus on the negative. Which is why we need to be constantly raising our eyes to God in prayer rejoicing in who God is, what he has done for us, and giving thanks for what he has provided. Do you have a habit of spending time in prayer rejoicing and giving thanks to God? Over the next few weeks focus on these two areas until they becomes a pattern for your prayer life and you will notice the difference it makes in you by lifting your eyes to God.