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.
What is your initial reaction to these verses? Do you find them simple because they are short and directly to the point, or do you find them challenging because of what is commanded? Would it have been easier if Paul had only said, “Rejoice a lot, pray often, and try to be thankful”? Let’s see if we can see how to obey these simple/challenging commands.
Rejoice always. Does this mean we should be happy all the time? Is it a sin to be sad, angry or grieved? As you think about the answers to those questions remember that Jesus felt and expressed all those emotions when here on earth. God the Father also expressed all those emotions in the Old Testament as well.
Remembering that Jesus and the Father experienced the full range of emotions gives us a clue in how we are to obey this command. Circumstances (death of Lazarus, buying and selling in the temple, etc.) caused the emotion, but circumstances did not control the situation. Who was and is ultimately in control of all situations? (Hint: He existed before all things and created all things …)
How can we keep in mind who controls the situations that create the emotions we experience? Recalling our thoughts from the previous two days, how can this help us to rejoice?
Pray continually. This builds on our previous thoughts. Praying is simply talking to God. How can thinking about God lead to talking to God? Does “continually” mean we need to keep up a running dialog? Praying or talking means to be in a relationship with. Just as we’re able to live in a continual relationship with fellow humans without a constant running dialog, we can live in a continual relationship with God without a constant running dialog.
Do you live in a continual relationship with God, or is he someone you just go to from time to time and ignore most of the rest of the time? How can you increase your awareness of, and relationship with God?
Give thanks in all circumstances. This builds on the prior two practices. If we keep in mind who controls all situations, and we are living in continual relationship with him, then giving thanks in all things follows naturally.
Notice that we give thanks IN all circumstances (or things), not FOR all circumstances (or things). Recalling Jesus time on earth, and the Father’s expressions in the Old Testament, we see that they did not give thanks FOR all circumstances. But we do see thanksgiving IN all circumstances.
What can we give thanks for regardless of our circumstances?