\u201cRejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; in everything give\nthanks…\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s a hard one, isn\u2019t it? I can quote 1 Thessalonians\n5:16-18 as well as anyone. But putting those words into practice\u2026well, sometimes\nthat\u2019s really hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Actually, I can easily do the \u201cpray without ceasing\u201d part.\nI\u2019ve got that locked in. Life challenges keep me in a running conversation with\nthe Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But rejoicing? Giving thanks in everything? I struggle. Just\nbeing honest here\u2026admitting I stumble over bumps on the path, trying to find a\nreason to rejoice and give thanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learning to rejoice and give thanks by sheer determination of the will is changing me. Although that\u2019s my desire, it\u2019s complicated. First, I had to settle one major issue. Can I trust God?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Learning to rejoice and give thanks by sheer determination of the will is changing me. Although that\u2019s my desire, it\u2019s complicated. First, I had to settle one major issue. Can I trust God? <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n If I can trust him, then I can rejoice and give thanks by sheer determination of the will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why would I not be able to trust God? Because the situation\nlooks hopeless and I am helpless? All the more reason to trust God!<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Matthew 9 two blind men came to Jesus, \u201ccrying, and saying,\nThou Son of David, have mercy on us\u2026Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am\nable to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes,\nsaying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened\u2026\u201d\n(see verses 27-30).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you believe I am able to do this?\u201d The answer to his\npoignant question settles everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If I believe Christ is able to do what I need, I can trust\nhim. If I don\u2019t believe he is able, then I must look elsewhere. But where would\nI look?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking to his disciples in John 6, Jesus said many followers had turned\naway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c<\/sup>Then said Jesus unto the\ntwelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life\u201d (see verses 6:65-68).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Exactly. Have you settled the issue? Can you trust God? Let\nthese verses encourage you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Lord is my strength and my shield: my heart trusted in him,\nand I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth: and with my song I will\npraise him\u201d (Psalm 28:7).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. My\ntimes are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them\nthat persecute me\u201d (Psalm 31:14-15).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat time I am afraid, I will trust in thee\u201d (Psalm 56:3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge\nin times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee:\nfor thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee\u201d (Psalm 9:9-10).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed\non thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord forever: for in the\nLord Jehovah is everlasting strength\u201d (Isaiah 26:3-4).<\/p>\n\n\n\n We can trust God! We can rejoice and give thanks!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hard truth: if I rejoice and give thanks today, I must do it in my present circumstances. Not tomorrow or next week or in six months. Today. In my present circumstances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hard truth: if I rejoice and give thanks today, I must do it in my present circumstances. Not tomorrow or next week or in six months. Today. In my present circumstances. <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n I told you it was complicated, but it\u2019s rather simple. I choose to function by my will<\/em>, not my feelings<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I acknowledge that God is good, that he loves me, that\nhis plan is in my best interest, and that I can trust him, I can choose to function\nby my will. I can praise and give thanks by faith, no matter what I\u2019m feeling\nor not feeling,<\/p>\n\n\n\n First Thessalonians 5:16-18 shows us how to respond in every\ncircumstance. Rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for\nthis is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is the will of God? Rejoicing, praying, and giving\nthanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you need a reason, read through the book of Psalms and\nnote everything the Lord has done for you. It will be a long list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your circumstances are bleak today, begin rejoicing and\ngiving thanks by a sheer determination of the will. It looks like that\u2019s what\nthe Psalmist did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n My meditation of him shall be sweet:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I will be glad in the Lord.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n (Psalm 104:33-34)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sing praise! Be glad in the Lord! Your circumstances may not change\u2026but you will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Would you tell me about a time in a hard place when you\nrejoiced and gave thanks by decision? And please share this with your friends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a9 Dianne Barker 2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cRejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks…\u201d That\u2019s a hard one, isn\u2019t it? I can quote 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 as well as anyone. But putting those words into practice\u2026well, sometimes that\u2019s really hard. Actually, I can easily do the \u201cpray without ceasing\u201d part. I\u2019ve got that locked in. Life challenges keep me in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[435,9,436,434,373],"class_list":["post-1162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-christ-is-able","tag-dianne-barker","tag-feelings","tag-rejoice-and-give-thanks-by-determination-of-the-will","tag-trust-god"],"yoast_head":"\n