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"Rejoice always,"

1 Thessalonians 5:16

Life will always have something to cause you to grieve—whether the loss of a loved one, unemployment, insufficient income, health concerns, or relational issues—there's always a reason to be sad and discouraged.

I was watching the news and saw the destruction brought about by Hurricane Fiona in Eastern Canada, Super Typhoon Karding in the Philippines, and Hurricane Ian in Florida, and I couldn’t help being affected by the ruins they left. People lost their loved ones, homes, and cars and do not know how to pick up the pieces and start all over. By the way, we should be praying for them.

In today’s verse, we are told that the believers in Thessalonica are suffering because of persecution and misunderstanding about the return of Christ. Thessalonica was a city in the province of Macedonia, where Paul ministered during his second missionary journey. The Thessalonians were one of the churches who, despite their poverty,  gave a voluntary contribution to the suffering Christians in Jerusalem. Paul was worried about them and intended to visit them, but Satan stopped him (2:18). Thankfully, Timothy gave an encouraging report that they continued to grow in faith and love (2:6).

Paul gives the Thessalonians practical instructions in preparation for the Lord's return, one of which is to "rejoice always." First off, this is not a suggestion but a command. Second, it doesn't always mean to be happy and jolly regardless of one's circumstances. Lastly, this joy is a result of love for God and trust in Him. God wants His people to be filled with joy and He gives them a reason to be.

Knowing that this verse is a command means that when we remain in sadness and depression, we essentially disobey God because we are doing the exact opposite of His mandate. When were hit by problems here and there, we find it hard to look past the present and fast-forward to the future. But worrying doesn't change anything. When we wallow in defeat and stress, we fail to trust in God and doubt His power to deliver us.

Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, whom we are to be filled with. When the Holy Spirit controls us, rejoicing comes naturally. How? He transforms our minds from being worried about the now and being excited about the future. We can rejoice because we know our God is faithful and true. We know that His will is perfect, and He makes all things work together for our good. We overcome life's battles because His joy is our strength. We understand that today's pressures are insignificant compared to the immense glory that awaits us when we finally meet Jesus face to face.

Pursue the Saviour today!