“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I don’t know about you but when I read the verse above I wonder: Is that even possible?

Like, really?

Rejoice always?

Pray continually? Like, on my knees, eyes-closed-kind-of- prayer? Constantly?

Give thanks in all circumstances? But, what if it’s not a good situation? Am I really supposed to be thankful for the bad things that happen to me?

I hope I’m not the only one that wonders!

Since this is God’s will for us, it is something that we need to do. I think the key lies in the end of verse 18: “in Christ Jesus.” It’s not in ourselves that these things are possible. For most of us, our natural tendency is to grumble and complain, to forget about prayer until it’s our last resort, and to be irritated or upset about most things that happen to us.

Okay, maybe that’s just me…but I think you’ll relate 😉

We know we must rely on God first of all.

Let’s take a look at each verse and some practical ways that we can accomplish these seemingly impossible commands:

Rejoice always (v.16): This sort of joy is not to be confused with happiness. It took me a long time to realize that happiness and joy are not the same thing. It kind of boggles the mind but it is our right as children of God to have joy. It is not our right to have happiness. Happiness is solely dependent on our situations. If everything is going smoothly and we have what we desire, then we are happy. Joy is not dependent. Joy is something that can be ours at any time. However, it may take work to cultivate joy. It  probably won’t come easily. It does come from choosing to focus on God, rather than our circumstances.

How?

Get in the Word. Truly understand that your birthright is joy. Get to know God’s character better-that He doesn’t change just because our situations do. That His character is always good regardless of what is happening.

Sing praises. Put on your favorite worship songs.

Walk in the Spirit. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. Learn to say no to the flesh and yes to the Spirit.

Do fun things! Search Pinterest for funny Christian memes. Watch a silly movie. Play with your kiddos. Laugh as much as you can.

Pray continually (v.17): Have you ever had a persistent cough? I’m sure if you’ve ever had a cold, you’ve had a cough to go along with it. Think of how it feels like you’re constantly coughing-even though it’s probably just every few minutes or even just once in awhile. That’s how it should be with prayer. It should feel constant. It shouldn’t feel like it’s been ages since you’ve prayed.

How?

Acknowledge your dependency on God. We need Him every minute of every day. Acknowledge that. Live that way. Develop that prayerful attitude that lifts up quick, spontaneous prayers throughout the day as well as longer, more pointed prayers (in your prayer closet, etc.). Just talk to Him. Sometimes I have to remember that it’s a conversation. It can be in our normal voice, with our normal slang. It can be casual. It can be like talking to a friend.

Give thanks in all circumstances (v.18): The distinction  here is the word “in.” It doesn’t say “for.” We can thank God in everything because we trust who He is and we trust that He working everything out for our good (Romans 8:28). I love this from Phillip Holmes. “We reap the benefits of knowing, loving, and delighting in Jesus. The Father gives us peace that surpasses understanding and provides for all our needs according to his riches. No good thing is withheld from us and all things work together for our good. Living in light of these truths proclaims to a discontent world that Jesus is better than anything the world has to offer.”  We may not be able to thank Him for the particular circumstance we’re in but as the situation changes, as we gain distance from it, and we can see what God has done for us in and through the situation, our hearts will become thankful. We are given so much from God and we should live in that knowledge.

How?

Practice gratitude. Start your day thanking the Lord for one more day. Write a gratitude list/journal. To get you started, you can print this “I Am Grateful For” list and start cultivating gratitude. I’ve learned that getting to know more about who God is helps grow gratitude in my heart. Get in the Word. Study the names of God. Think on who He is and who you are through Him. Pray for others. Nothing takes my mind off what I’m going through like praying for someone else. It’s not always easy but it definitely helps.

I want to handle your feelings carefully, friend. I know that some situations can be so, so difficult that it’s unimaginable to think of giving thanks for the situation. I don’t know what you’re going through, but I do know that God is with you. He is with you right now. You may not feel it but He is. It may be a time that you lean on what you know about God rather than what you’re feeling about/from God. He may be leading you into a deeper place in your relationship with Him- and that is something to be thankful for. I don’t mean to make light of what you’re going through at all. I read so many trite things and rolled my eyes so many times during hard seasons of my life. But understand that it can be a battle to choose joy. It can be a fight to pray. It may feel impossible to give thanks. But in Christ Jesus you can do these seemingly impossible things. So, keep fighting. Keep trusting that God is there.

Because He is.

And you really can do impossible things.

 

** Don’t forget to click HERE for your FREE “I Am Grateful For” printable!**