“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” –1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoicing can be difficult. We live in a world that is full of troubles, and weeping often feels more natural than cheering. Joy is an elusive entity, always lurking just beyond our reach.
But the Bible frequently commands us to rejoice. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul reiterates that this is not just for the times when we’re feeling especially happy or when things are actually going right. We are to rejoice always—in every situation, in every moment, regardless of what is actually happening.
This is not our default at all! When things are difficult, it’s so much easier to complain about it, looking for someone to share in our misery. But what God would have us do is rejoice anyway. That’s not to say that we should glibly go through life laughing at every difficult situation. Jesus Himself wept when confronted with the death of His good friend.
What it does mean, though, is that we refuse to let our circumstances determine our response. Yes, things are hard, but we can still rejoice despite that.
We can cling to joy because our hope is in God. He is the one who is in control, and we know that His will is always good and perfect. Rejoicing doesn’t have to look like throwing a party and celebrating while the world falls apart around you. But it can look like a smile in the middle of tears, a song whispered with a quivering voice, a silent prayer cobbled together from the pieces of a broken heart.
We serve a God who is intimately acquainted with the hardships of the world. But He is in control of it still, and He is the one who gives us our joy.
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