My wife painted a picture for me years ago that sits on a shelf directly in my line of vision as I sit at my desk. Without trying, I look at it often, and God uses it to remind me of His will. The painting simply says: Rejoice always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Christians at Thessalonica, a church that had remained faithful to Gospel advancement even in the face of persecution. It was a miracle that the Thessalonian church even existed. Paul and Silas had spent less than a month with them before being run out of town. Yet these new believers persevered in their faith and had even become missionaries themselves to the surrounding area. When Paul had the opportunity to write to them, his letter was full of encouragement and praise. His words still encourage and challenge me today.
Rejoice always. My mother will always look on the bright side of things, and sometimes I wonder how she does it. Even in the hardest times of her life, I have watched her endure gracefully with a sense of joy and peace. To rejoice always does not mean to always be happy, but it does mean we always have joy. God is good! That fact remains regardless of our current situation. When the exiles returned to Jerusalem and the law was read aloud to all the people, they mourned over their sin. But Ezra and Nehemiah reminded them that God’s law is good, and His joy is their strength. (Neh. 8:10)
Pray continually. Too often we think of prayer as a task to perform, something we must get ready for. We pray before a meal or when the offering is received in church. It is as if we take a break from other things to pray. While there should be intentional times of both personal and corporate prayer, there is also the continual, persistent communion every believer has with our Father. His Spirit indwells us and His Son advocates for us, so that prayer is as natural as breathing. When we realize we have this constant communication, it changes how we think, what we say, and how we interact with others.
Give thanks in all circumstances. We celebrate Thanksgiving this month, and I am all for it. Turkey and football and family all sounds great to me. But the reason I love Thanksgiving so much is that it reminds us of something we should be doing year-round. Gratitude is such a powerful practice. To have our eyes and ears tuned to see God at work even in difficult times completely changes our perspective. At his darkest time, Job exclaimed, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21) Oh, to have the kind of faith that thanks God for His goodness when we are struggling!
For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. If you ever wonder what God’s will concerning you looks like, this is a good place to start. He desires for us to rejoice, pray, and give thanks all the time. Things are never too bad or too good for us to stop rejoicing, praying, or giving thanks. When you find yourself distracted or frustrated today, meditate on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Memorize it. Practice it. You will be thankful you did.
Bee-Attitude
Blessed are those who rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances, for they shall walk in God’s will and know His joy.
Steve Laughman
Steve Laughman serves as the Mission Strategist for the Centennial Baptist Association, a partnership of over forty churches seeking to make disciples together. He also serves as an elder at The Rock Church where he and his wife, Marni, are members. For more information about the ministries of the Centennial Baptist Association, go to centennialbaptistassociation.
