Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
- I Thessalonians 5:16–18, NKJV
This verse has a rhythm and a rhyme — it's easy to memorize. Like other portions of the Bible, it's easy to read and challenging to live.
To "rejoice always" is not easy. Joy is not natural; it is a fruit of the Spirit. Joy is the result of God adding super to our natural, which makes joy supernatural.
For God's Kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking but of the righteousness, peace, and joy that the Holy Spirit gives. (Romans 14:17, GNT)
So, we see that joy comes from the Holy Spirit and is a characteristic of Kingdom saints.
The fruit of joy is to our Spirit what oxygen is to our body, and joy is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10, NIV). Think about joy as a strength. Joy is like a natural immunity to the challenges of life.
God says He will bring joy in the morning, every morning. And we can trust that, but we must poise our hearts to receive and activate His joy. Joy follows, rejoicing. Many people wish for joy, but few choose to rejoice.
There are no substitutes, and nothing better than experiencing an intimate relationship with Jesus and having the joy of the Lord.
This is my prayer for you.
Heavenly Father, let us experience the genuine joy of the Lord. Please show us the things blocking joy from our lives and give us the prudence to rejoice in difficult moments.
Blessings,
Thomas
