“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice No Matter What
For many people, the idea of rejoicing no matter our circumstances seems to border on denial and disillusionment. However, rejoicing in the Lord doesn’t require a denial of our circumstances, but rather a reminder that our circumstances don’t define us.
We may not know the reason for what we have to endure at times in this life, but the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ clearly reminds us that whatever we are having to endure, we are not enduring it because God doesn’t love us or have a plan for us. No matter what we may experience here in this life, it will fail to compare to what our Lord willingly endured and experienced in order to secure us the immeasurable gift of eternal life.
Therefore, may we establish our hearts (James 5) being reminded of the Gospel which is true, the Gospel which is honorable, the Gospel which is just, the Gospel which is pure, the Gospel which is lovely, the Gospel which is commendable, the Gospel which is excellent, and again the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is certainly worthy of all our praise.
May the love demonstrated by our Lord through the ultimate denial of Himself, in order to be crucified for us, secure us in the truth that we may come to Him in anxious prayer, expecting the peace of God which surpasses all understanding in return. The Lord is God, and the Lord is good. We have every reason to rejoice.
— Terry Evans, Atlanta Braves chaplain
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