Rejoice Always

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Rejoice Always

Just from human nature,  it is not natural  to be always rejoicing.     If we have a flat tire,  we grumble.     Computer problems  bring groans.     Being sick  brings moans.     There’s just a lot of stuff  that happens  that leads us to complaining  instead of rejoicing.

Nevertheless, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 instructs us,

Rejoice always; 
pray  without ceasing;
in everything  give thanks;
for this is God’s will  for you  in Christ Jesus.

When all sorts of problems are surrounding us,  why should we rejoice?     We should rejoice partly  because getting depressed and grumbling  does not help the situation.     And,  we should rejoice  because God has proven His love  for us  in Christ Jesus,  and He has promised to carry us  through our trials  and temptations.

We are not rejoicing  because we are some sort of Pollyanna  blithely skipping  through the fields of flowers,  totally ignoring the reality  of life around us.     We rejoice  because God’s love is faithful  in forgiving us all our sins,  and He desires for us  to turn to Him  in prayer,  while learning  to trust Him  for all our needs.

Our inner rejoicing  in our suffering  is a putting  of our faith  where it really belongs — in our Lord Jesus Christ.     We rejoice  because we can pray  for our heavenly Father’s help.     We rejoice  because God hears our prayers  and helps us  in ways that strengthen our faith,  hope,  and love.    No one else can help us  and strengthen us  the way the Lord can.     His way of helping  in every situation  is a way  that also leads us  to eternal salvation  because it builds up  our trust.     God can help  because He knows  our every thought,  feeling,  and fiber  in our body.     He knows our problem  even before we are aware of it.    That alone  is good reason  to trust  in the Almighty.

Our giving of thanks  is also a sign  of our faith and trust  in God’s proven love.     We are simply admitting  that God has set forth  all the evidence we need  that shows He is,  indeed,  the Almighty,  and that He does,  indeed,  love us  in Jesus Christ.     God does not love us  because of anything “good”  that we might have done.     God loves us  because  with faith  we have humbly laid  all our sins  at the foot  of the cross.

We have good reason  to  “Rejoice always”  and to  “give thanks”.      In our every trouble,  let us remember  who God is  and how He has loved us  in Jesus Christ.     There is no greater love.     There is no greater faithfulness.

As we face our troubles,  we say,  “Hallelujah!     My Lord,  blessed is Your love  for me  in Jesus Christ,  for You have loved me  with an everlasting love.     Thank You  for being my confidence in living rightly  for You.”

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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