Rejoice in the Lord!

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:6-18 ESV)

Give thanks in all circumstances; hmm, that is not always easy to do, is it? We can all feel depressed, anxious, fearful, and isolated. Christ wants us to rejoice always; why? Because we have Him. No matter what we face in our life, Christ is in us.

I am just like you. There are times I lower my head because I do not pray as much as I should. When I do not pray as much as I should, I know it; I feel it. There is a space between the Lord and myself, which makes me feel uncomfortable.

We all go through moods. I, for one, have a lack of patience, so I frequently pray for relief from the Lord. Even though I may be impatient and have health issues that restrict me, I still rejoice in the Lord. I am happy because of my relationship with Him. Paul constantly rings in my ears: “To live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). I believe that in the very core of my being, I believe that, and that is what gives me joy no matter what I face.

When we are saved in Christ Jesus, we live in a win-win situation. If we live, we win because we have Christ in us; if we die, we are with Christ for eternity. What is not to rejoice about? Why would we not glorify God? He loves His chosen and died willingly so that the world could be saved from sin. The Apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:1-2, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

When it gets tough, I mean really tough, and you just do not want to go on, remember the cross. Christ took more than we will ever take in our lives. You might be placed in a difficult situation, but Christ placed Himself in a worse position, and He did it for you. Rejoice, He lives in you, and you in Him. It can only get better, and it will.

Peace and Grace!