The Holy Spirit put these verses on my heart this morning as I prayed for something to encourage His people.
1Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
I have said for years that if God's people are not sure of His will for their lives, this is one of the best places to start. This is especially true in times like these!
I want to encourage you right now to begin rejoicing in the Lord. Forget about the circumstances you are facing for a few moments and begin to rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice in who Jesus Christ is! Rejoice that your name is written in the Lambs book of life! Rejoice that you have an eternal home in heaven. Rejoice in the faithfulness of God! Rejoice that He has gotten you through everything up to this point in your life! Rejoice! Rejoice!! Don't wait for a feeling to overtake you but rather overtake your feelings and emotions as you rejoice in God's love, grace, mercy, and power!
Then after spending some time rejoicing and remembering the power, grace, and mercy of God. Begin to pour out your heart in prayer to him. Cast your cares before him and give him your worries and concerns. Spill it out before the Lord the best way you know-how. He can read between the lines to see what's really in your heart! Give him your fears as you stand at the throne of God's grace and receive his courage. Receive his love, joy, and peace. Receive the answer to your prayer by faith, knowing God is faithful and will do what needs to be done.
Then, begin to thank God. Thank him for his mercy! Thank him for his grace! Thank Him for His power to deliver you even as He delivered the Jewish people so they could walk through the Red Sea on dry ground while being chased by the Egyptians. Thank him that He's going to get you through any sea of trouble and bring you to the other side! Thank him for the gift of faith to believe in Him and his promises. Thank your Lord and Savior Jesus that he purchased you with His blood when he sacrificed Himself on the cross for our redemption. Thank him for everything you can think of and then rejoice some more! Rejoice in the Lord, that was Paul's admonition to God's people!
We have just described God's prescription and approach to the difficult things in life. God's Biblical antidote to anxiety, worry, and fear! If we take this approach, everything will look different to us. Like I have said before, it won't necessarily change what's going on around us. It will change how we see things that are going on around us. That's what we need in times like this! With this approach, we will be looking for God amid trouble instead of being overwhelmed by the crisis we are facing.
In closing, let me say we need to remember that the advice given to us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 didn't come from someone who had lived a comfortable life. These words come from the Apostle Paul, who was told by Jesus during His God encounter on the road to Damascus that he would suffer many things for Jesus's sake.
In 2 Corinthians 11:24-29, we read some of the things Paul experienced as He faithfully followed the Lord. "Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?"
Through all this, he continued to trust and believe in God's faithfulness. Most of us will never experience hardships like those mentioned above. But they do give us a glaring example from one of God's great servants how to walk through difficult times.
At the end of Paul's list of dangers and toils, he says, "Who is weak, and I do not feel weak?" Those are powerful words that remind us that God makes us stronger as we walk with Him through any trial in life. We grow stronger, not weaker! I want to rejoice in that! How about you?
So remember to "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1Thessalonians 5:16-18
May God bless you today in heavenly ways as you follow Him!
Brian