Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
– Philippians 4:4
How could a man chained in prison remind us to rejoice in the Lord always?
Isn’t it much easier to rejoice and express your gratitude to God when life is blissful and beautiful? But what happens when hardships hit? I’ll confess that for me, complaining is often my first response. Paul is encouraging us to be better than that and rejoice in the Lord at all times, in all circumstances.
While on vacation, I’ve observed young children throwing temper tantrums in paradise. It’s been common place to see preschoolers screaming on the beach, siblings throwing sand at each others’ heads, and toddlers totally losing it at the resort pool. I giggle because it reminds me of what God must be thinking of us when we whine and complain in our paradises.
God, like the parents pushing the strollers, must want to shout out, “Have you looked around lately? You are surrounded by so much beauty, why in the world are you complaining?”
Paul had endured every kind of hardship you can imagine. He’d been knocked down, blinded, beaten, shipwrecked (three times), and imprisoned. You name the pain, Paul endured it. How could he still rejoice?
I believe Paul could rejoice because of his close relationship with Jesus. It was Jesus’ strength, not his own, that Paul relied on during his hardships. In knowing that he was Jesus’ servant, spreading the good news, Paul could find joy, contentment, peace, and hope in all circumstances, from a packed church to a solitary prison cell.
What if you saw yourself as a modern day apostle? When asked where your joy comes from, you quickly point to Jesus. When hardships hit and you walk through them with a smile and good attitude, you give Jesus the credit. At all times, in all circumstances JOY is a choice. As Paul encourages, choose wisely and live a life of rejoicing.
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