The Choice to Rejoice

Can you really rejoice always like scripture tells us to? Kay shares how this is possible.

“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).

Thanksgiving Day is almost here! Such a wonderful time of year. A time when we focus on all that we have to be grateful for. We stop and rejoice and give thanks to God who has so bountifully dealt with us through His grace in our lives.

Our verse for today makes it sound as though we are to do this everyday and in every circumstance. How is that possible? Praying continually, possibly, but rejoice always and give thanks in all circumstances? That’s tough. Always and in all circumstances?

I don’t know about you, but I have been through some pretty rough circumstances in my 56 years here on planet earth. How about you? So, how do we reconcile being a child of God and accomplishing this?

Maybe the apostle Paul was talking more about choosing to take these actions than waiting to feel like doing them. Just a thought.

If you believe as I do that God loves those who are His, has a purpose for us and seeks only our good and His glory in our lives. . . then I believe we can make these hard choices every hour and every minute of our day.

Let us choose obedience. Obedience to make every day Thanksgiving Day regardless of our circumstances, to rejoice always, and to pray continually; because it is God’s will for us who are in Christ Jesus.

Prayer: Father, I pray that we come before You with grateful hearts every day of our lives. That we not allow our circumstances or anyone or anything to come between our relationship with You. Help us when we are tempted to look elsewhere for comfort in our times of weakness. We choose to trust You, knowing that You love us and are sovereign over all, regardless of how we may feel. In Jesus Name, Amen.

About the author:
Kay Davis lives in Fort Worth, Texas with her husband Ron. They have three awesome daughters and sons-in-law who have blessed them beyond measure with their eight precious grandchildren.. For more of Kay’s writings you may visit her blog http://singingbirdcage.blogspot.com that is titled Songbird. She finds solace in writing and prays that God uses it to draw others to Himself.

What are some things you can choose to rejoice and be thankful to God for today? Please share them with us!

We hear the message over and over again about how we have a choice in how we accept and respond to our circumstances… and yet it is so true. This is The Afters singing “Broken Hallelujah.” Sometimes our hallelujas may feel broken or bruised or scattered, but that is okay. Make a choice to say hallelujah and He will respond to you. -Lisa