Rejoice Always
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~4 min read
Hi there. Welcome to Well Lit Soul. Where we seek God, face darkness, and shine brighter. This season of the blog is all about encouragement. So today’s blog is called: Rejoice Always.
I think most people are familiar with the shortest verse in the Bible. It’s John 11:35 and it reads, “Jesus wept”. But I wonder how familiar people are with what I’m guessing is the second shortest verse in the Bible. It’s 1 Thessalonians 5:16 and it says, “Rejoice always”. Paul is writing his first letter to the church in Thessalonica and amongst a series of teachings and exhortations, he urges the Christians there to rejoice always. Really, verses 16-18 is what I like to think of as the sandwich for God’s will for our lives. It reads,
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”.
So rejoice, pray, and give thanks. Truthfully, all of those things are learned and not just automatically understood. But we’ll actually get into that in season 3! For now, I want to look at the value of joy and how rejoicing always can uplift your soul.
We’ve covered a few examples of people rejoicing in scripture. Most recently Hannah who was exceedingly glad when God gave her a son after He closed her womb (1 Samuel 1 and 2). We don’t know how much time had passed, but when her prayers were finally answered, she was exceedingly glad and prayed to God in thanksgiving and praise.
Most of the examples I read in scripture show rejoicing as the expression or demonstration of joy and gladness directly to the Lord often through prayer. So it makes sense that the will of God is for us to speak to Him always with rejoicing and thanksgiving considering the sacrificial love He has for us and the countless gifts and blessings He has provided throughout our lives.
Three of the things I’ve been rejoicing about lately are the ability to:
Closely know the Creator of the universe
Have light in the darkness and peace through the storms
Be fully alive in Christ
And when I think about why I can rejoice for these things it’s because I wasn’t always able to do them. The opportunity was always there, but I personally was not able because my heart and mind were disconnected from God. But continuing to seek God in the face of doubt and darkness, temptations and trials, and finding Him on the other side feels like the ultimate win.
To be lacking in something and ask God to provide it and then He makes a way would make anyone want to celebrate, especially if that provision came after a season of waiting. And learning how He provides and cares for us when we rely on Him boosts my confidence in Him and makes me want to praise His holy name.
Being able to study, learn, and meditate on the ways and nature of God feels like the ultimate life hack. But reading the instruction manual isn’t exactly a hack is it? Any time I have questions about God, I can go to the scriptures and find out in His own words who He is and why He does certain things. And I can reflect on my own life and see that His words are still true today. I certainly won’t understand everything about Him and I will have to meet Him in eternity to get some questions answered, but having His inspired word directly at my fingertips is one of the greatest blessings of my life, 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Especially because it brings joy and peace to my heart and mind at all points in my walk with God.
It creates a strong trust and assurance that God will protect and provide for me as long as I follow the path He laid out. And although that path inherently pulls me away from some things I may want to engage in, I know in the long run, it is in the best interest of my soul to fulfill God’s desires rather than my own. And since He created my soul, He knows what it takes to fully bring it to life and make it shine with unending resplendence.
So I’m thankful that I get to spend my life with and for God. I’m thankful I persevered through the storms and stuck with Him when my doubt was high and my spirit was low. I’m thankful God stood by me when He knew I didn’t really trust Him. And I’m thankful I get to share those triumphs with you. I hope it can encourage you in your walk with God.
Connection Question: What are some of the reasons you have to rejoice in God? How do you remember to give thanks for them? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to connect with you about it.