1 Thessalonians 5: 16--18 Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. --NASB
In the name of Christ Jesus, amen.
Powerful words--who among us is able to always rejoice? Bad things happen in our lives. We become ill. Our pet dies. Yet we are to rejoice and give thanks in everything including the bad things that happen? How can we? Yes, we should always be aware that God works all things together for good for those who love Him, but we are after all human. In the midst of suffering and pain it is difficult to see what there is to be thankful for, or why we should be joyful.
Perhaps the key to this is verse seventeen which simply says, "Pray without ceasing." If we pray continually, our attention is focused on God. If we humbly say, "Lord have mercy," we are reminded that He is merciful to us, and that He will answer our prayer. If we meditate on the commandments and pray, "Lord help me to understand your commandments, and to live according to them as best I can," then we see our self in the mirror of God's law, and are driven to rely on Christ for salvation. If we get up in the morning and thank God for the bed we slept in, the floor we stand on, the water we wash with, the towel we dry with, the clothes we wear, etc. then we are giving thanks in all things.
If we make a little effort and practice this sort of prayer, the evil thoughts are driven out of our minds. The sadness isn't so deep. The joy bubbles up inside of us. Our Lord promises to fill us with His Spirit of joy and peace. May He truly fill you with His Spirit and cause you to pray without ceasing. Amen.
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, we do not pray to you like we should. We grumble instead of giving thanks and rejoicing. Lead us to pray constantly so that our grumbling stops, and we have joy in our salvation. We ask this in the Holy Spirit, and through our Lord Jesus, amen.