Scripture

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!

Observation

We must rejoice always in the Lord. We are not to worry about anything, but instead pray to God and thank Him for all that He has done.

Finally, we are to fix our thoughts on what is true, honourable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. When we think about things that are excellent and praiseworthy, then the God of peace will be with us.

Application

How can we rejoice always? Everybody has bad days, so how can we rejoice then?

I often think of Job, who lost his family and his wealth in a single day. His response to this terrible loss was, ” I came naked from my mother’s womb, I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the Name of the Lord.”

The key to surviving tough times with your integrity intact ,is to determine beforehand that you will rejoice, no matter what happens.

This does not mean that we ignore or suppress our emotions. They are important and need to be acknowledged. But like Job, we must look to the big picture, and recall that all that we have comes from God, and we are stewards of His blessings not owners of them.

Prayer

Lord, I choose to rejoice. I praise you for your great love for me. Thank you for sending Jesus to rescue me from sin. Please help me to rejoice in you on every occasion. Amen