1 Thessalonians 5:16 - How to Be Joyful and Rejoice Always.
1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NIV) Rejoice always,
1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NLT) Always be joyful.
INTRODUCTION
Joy in Jesus
Happiness and joy - these two words are
not as synonymous as they might seem at first
glance. Oh, they may feel a lot alike, but that's
where the similarity ends.
Consider that the root of the word
happiness is hap. And that simple word refers to luck,
chance, fate; to circumstances that come our way. We
can be happy when we get the job. We can be
happy when the news from the doctor is good. And
we can be happy when our team wins.
But joy frees us from sadness when we
don't get the job, when the news from the doctor
is not good, and when our team loses. That's
because pure joy comes not from circumstances but
from our love relationship with God. Our choice
to trust in His sovereign, gracious plan for
our lives sustains our hope in hard times, and
that gives us joy.
One more thing. The greater our love for
God, the greater will be our joy in Him. Grow
your love for God through Bible study and prayer,
worship and confession, praise and fellowship - and
see if your joy doesn't increase. Life is too
brief and harsh to squander even one day of it
joylessly. [Being Still With God Every Day by Henry
Blackaby re Psalm 5:11]
COMMENTARY PEARL
"Really, God?" Ive wanted to ask.
"Rejoice always?" Yet that's what it says. Over years
of desperately seeking Jesus, I've learned to
pray a lot, if not continually, and to find
reasons to be grateful in even the most abysmal
circumstances. Rejoicing was the last stronghold. How can I
"feel joy or great delight" (as Merriam-Webster
puts it) in the face of the assorted mundane or
massive trials we all face this side of heaven? Yet
I persist - not in seeking joy but in seeking
God. I think that's the key to everything, really
(Matthew 6:33).
I can hardly believe it myself, but as
I'm writing this, I'm close to "rejoicing
always," something I was pretty sure was impossible.
Right now, I'm in the midst of marital woes,
financial straits, vocational uncertainty, and a
long-dreaded business bankruptcy after a long and scary
ordeal, yet I'm truly full of joy and peace.
Yes, my joy is fueled partly by the hope
promised in Romans 8:28 and my own experience of
Jesus making lemonade out of lemons. Mostly, I'm
experiencing that inexplicable joy that defies
explanation and is disconnected from circumstances. I
wonder if this is a tiny taste of the joy we sense
in Paul's letters, which were written in jail
or other hard places. Whatever it is, I really
like it and pray Jesus's grace will let me linger
here no matter what comes. Isabella Yosuico
[Mornings With Jesus 2021 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
COMMENTARY
Have you ever visited the ocean? The
constant crashing of the waves is awe-inspiring. The
ocean continually moves. We see that movement as
waves pound the beach. And although we can't see
below the surface, the ocean actually moves faster
at greater depths.
Can you think of other things that keep
going and going and going? Write down a couple.
You might have written down the wind.
Wind constantly blows near the ocean and at great
heights in the atmosphere. The sun always shines. We
may not see it if it's cloudy, but that doesn't
mean the sun has stopped sending out heat and
light. The earth also continually rotates and
revolves. We may not feel it, but our world is
spinning at more than 1,000 miles per hour, and we're
orbiting around the sun at about 67,000 miles per
hour. Time would've been another good answer. Time
constantly moves forward, ticking second after second
into the future.
God created many things to function
constantly. And in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, the apostle
Paul tells us three things we should always be
doing: rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks.
Living out that command seems pretty
impractical. Does God expect you to walk around
constantly shouting, "Praise God! He is good! I thank
God for all his blessings"? You could do that,
but you might get some strange looks.
Instead, as followers of Jesus, we should
look at these things like breathing. We don't
have to think about breathing - it just happens
naturally. Similarly, we should pray, praise, and thank
God all the time. Praying continually doesn't
mean you have to go around with your head bowed
and eyes closed (that's just a good way to get a
concussion). But we should be thinking about God all the
time and have our thoughts focused on him. We
also need to be always rejoicing. Maybe you feel
like there's nothing to be happy about. School is
hard. You sprained your ankle. You feel like your
parents give your sister more attention. All of
these circumstances are temporary (although they
may not feel that way). Your relationship with
Christ is eternal. No matter what's going on in
your life, you can trust that God has a plan for
you and will give you the strength to accomplish
his will. And his love for you will keep going,
and going, and going. [Case For Christ For Kids
by Les Strobel]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Rejoice Always! This is one of the
shortest verses in the Bible, but it is radiant with
heavenly Light. I made you in My image, and I crafted
you with the ability to choose Joy in the
moments of your life. When your mind is going down
an unpleasant, gloomy path, stop it in its
tracks with this glorious command. See how many
times each day you can remind yourself to
rejoice.
It is important not only to be joyful but
to think about specific reasons for rejoicing.
They can be as simple as My daily provisions for
you - food, shelter, clothing. Relationships
with loved ones can also be a rich source of Joy.
Since you are My beloved, your relationship with
Me is an ever-present wellspring of gladness.
These joyful thoughts will light up both your mind
and your heart, enabling you to find more
pleasure in your life.
Choosing to rejoice will bless you and
those around you. It will also strengthen your
relationship with Me. (1Th. 5:16; Gen. 1:27; Phi. 4:4)
[Jesus Always by Sarah Young]
If you have a problem that comes and goes
over a long period of time, you may start
dreading its recurrence. This reaction only makes
matters worse. When the painful situation returns,
you tend to feel tense and defeated. You begin
to judge each day that this circumstance is
present as a bad day. This is a hurtful, negative
focus.
Let Me suggest a better way: When the
problem is absent or minimal, rejoice and thank Me
continually - as often as you can remember. If the
problem is present, look to Me and affirm your trust
in Me. Ask My Spirit to help you persevere and
keep your focus on Me. In doing so, you connect a
positive thing - trusting Me - with something you
previously considered quite negative.
If you do this consistently, you will find
you are in a win-win situation. More
importantly, you will no longer be letting your
circumstances dictate the quality of your life. Rejoice
and be glad-hearted continually. Be unceasing in
prayer - praying perseveringly. Thank Me in
everything - no matter what the circumstances may be.
(Rom. 12:12; 1Th. 5:16-18; Psa. 143:8) [Jesus
Today by Sarah Young]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
1 Thessalonians 5:16 - How to Be Joyful and
Rejoice Always.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2016/20160206-1751.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Revelation Now by Pastor Doug Batchelor:
https://www.revelationnow.com/
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio:
https://bible.awr.org/en/the-signs/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
