The Apostle Paul wrote in 1st Thessalonians 5:16, “Always be joyful.” I stopped to think about this. How can anyone always be joyful? Can we still be joyful when we feel sadness, outrage, animosity, opposition, acrimony, offended and unhappy? The list can go on! Humanly, it’s impossible, I suppose but with the help of the Lord, we can try to achieve that mark!
It’s a conscious effort on our part. In any case that has been my experience. We cannot deny our feelings; they come and they go, they change and eventually expire to later start again with other situations we face in life. John 11:35 tells us that “Jesus wept.” Hebrews 5:7 tells us that “While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.”
Of course the Lord was in agony at this point, but he obeyed and chose freely to do so. Jesus chose to obey even when it meant suffering and eventual death at the cross. This really wasn’t “an always joyful moment” but one of faith and choice.
We choose! We don’t give up, we move on by faith. The rejoicing is there and it divulges itself when we recognize to “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15. Paul isn’t telling us to tell the weepers to stop and to rejoice instead.
So “always be joyful” doesn’t mean to negate our feelings of sadness and be happy. It just can’t be done. When we go through difficulties in life, they are brought so we can be trained and prepared by our Father, God. Hebrews 12:11 states, “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening–it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.”
We go through difficult circumstances, that’s a given, but to always be joyful should be seen as obedience rather than a matter of feelings. We can choose whether to focus on our trials and feel sorry for ourselves or “set our minds on things above. Where Jesus is on the right hand of God, where our life is hidden in Him and rejoice!” Colossians 3:1-4
Paul told the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, Rejoice!” Philippians 4:4 What’s vital in that scripture? Simply, “in the Lord.” By faith, we can always be joyful “in the Lord.”
I’ve learned and quite honestly in many hard ways that I must not allow my feelings to circumvent my joy! I share them with the Lord and trust that He will be there with me as I go through the ups and downs of the many feelings I have through my troublesome and challenging times. He is my refuge and provides my joy!
Psalm 5:11-12 “But let all who take refuge in You be glad,
Let them ever sing for joy;
And may You shelter them,
That those who love Your Name may exult in You.
For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord,
You surround him with favor as with a shield.”
ritasalomon 