“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
There are things we need to do over and over again. One example is doing the laundry. The laundry doesn’t do itself, so on a regular basis, especially when it starts piling up, we wash the clothes, dry them, fold them, and put them away, only to repeat the process when the need arises again. Unless you and the family want to spend your day in dirty clothes, the process needs to be repeated over and over again: wash clothes, dry, fold, repeat.
What are the things we need to repeat in our spiritual lives? The 1 Thessalonians passage is a brief series of commands that covers the basics of Christian living. These general commands are useful to the church in Thessalonica and today. If you understand and follow these commands, your life and faith will grow, and you will be able to experience the joy that God has for you. He invites us to choose joy, to pray continually, and to give thanks in all circumstances. It’s a call to live differently, to anchor our hearts in the unchanging character of God. In other words, “Be joyful. Pray. Give thanks. Repeat.”
When should we be joyful? Paul tells us that we should always be joyful, not just when things are going great. It is not just when we feel like all is well with the world; we should be joyful in all circumstances, good and bad. Psalm 28:7 gives us insight: “The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.” We can be joyful in the bad times because God is our strength and shield.
When should we pray? 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says that we should never stop praying. Acts 1:14 tells us, “They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.” Paul tells us in Colossians 4:2 that we should “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”
And when should we give thanks? When we’ve received what we seek from God in prayer. When we are completely satisfied? Yes, we should be thankful in those times. But, as Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we must be thankful in all circumstances, good or bad. Why? Because giving thanks in all circumstances is God’s will for every one of us who belongs to Christ. A thankful heart is also a heart of worship. Psalm 50:23 says “…giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.”
Be joyful. Pray. Give thanks. Repeat.
Discussion Questions:
- Find things you can rejoice in daily.
- Practice small prayers throughout your day.
- Find time every day to thank God.