“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” —1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 is a coffee-cup-Scripture. It’s one of those passages that appear frequently on Christian-themed coffee mugs, calendars, and home decor. And to be honest, I’m not sure why. Yes, it sounds warm and fuzzy. But it’s one of the more challenging statements in the Bible.
“Rejoice always.” Not sometimes. Not just when things go well. Always. Let me say that again. Rejoice always. Essentially, always be happy. Now, how can we do that?
“Pray without ceasing.” Most of us would readily admit that we don’t pray enough, let alone without ceasing. Can anyone really do that?
“Give thanks in all circumstances.” Again, not just in the good circumstances but in all circumstances. A friend of mine recently shared a story about a time when her husband lost his job and was unemployed for several months, during which their savings account dwindled. She had to learn how to give thanks in those circumstances, and even to thank God for those circumstances that taught them both what it meant to depend on the Lord for all things.
Recently, I was reading 1 Thessalonians, and came to these verses in chapter 5. I asked the Lord, “Is it really possible to rejoice always?” And right away, the answer came.
The way to rejoice always is to pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances.
Praying without ceasing means to acknowledge God throughout your day. On your morning commute, Jesus is with you. On your lunch break, he’s at your table or in your office. In your shop, he’s there. He’s with you on the trout stream, there in the dining room with your family at supper time, and watching over you while you’re sleeping. Continual prayer means being with God throughout your day. And that means you’re never, ever alone.
Giving thanks in all circumstances means just what it sounds like. Learning to count your blessings and thank God even in the hard things isn’t easy. But cultivating a thankful heart is a key to true happiness and joy. In fact, thankfulness is necessary for happiness. We can’t be truly happy if we’re disgruntled, entitled, or ungrateful.
People say to me often, “Doesn’t God want me to be happy?” And I always say, “Yes, he does.” God wants us to be happy. And the way to be happy is to be with God throughout your day, count your blessings, and be thankful. Then, you’ll find that you can “rejoice always.”