SCRIPTURE READING
1 Thessalonians 5v16-18
"Rejoice always; Pray without ceasing; In everything, give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (NKJV)
If there's something I can mention, that has really kept me going in my salvation walk with Christ, it has to be the 3 things that this passage outlines:
JOY (a deep/intense condition of happiness and contentment),
PRAYER (an act of communion with God) &
THANKSGIVING (an offering to acknowledge appreciation)!!!
Many times in life, we get to a point where we feel burned out; exhausted beacause we feel we've been serve a raw deal by either God or the world. These are time when many give up or lose hope. This is caused by many relying on circumstances, things and/or man to give them a better lifestyle. So, when that which they hope in crumbles, they too crumble.
Yet, the bible is very clear about where our happiness and contentment should be based... in the Lord (see Phillipians 4v4).
When we learn to be joyful in Christ and not in situations, we become joyful even in situations. We need to learn to develop a kind of lifestyle that is ALWAYS IN COMMUNION WITH GOD (Prayer); a life that is that is ALWAYS FILLED WITH CONTENTMENT (Joy); a life that is ALWAYS FILLED WITH ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOD'S GOODNESS AND ABILITY (Thanksgiving).
We need to realize that being thankful in everything is not the same as being thankful for everything.... what the Bible means by IN EVERYTHING is that, though you may be going through trying times, don't ever lose sight of God's goodness; so there for always give thanks to God even in the trying seasons... IN EVERYTHING... IN ALL THINGS. That is why David said in Psalm 26v13, "I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" (KJV).
So, therefore, in always acknowledging the goodness of God, praying and being joyful, even in trials, yields victory through trials.
Scripture references: 1 Peter 1v6,7; James 1v2-4; 1 Peter 5v8-9; Ephesians 6v18
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for keeping me until this very minute; I owe my existence to You; please teach me to understand the importance of being in communion with You at all time. From this day onwards, I will exercise living in joy in You and living a life of prayer and praise to Your Name; This I proclaim, thankfully in Jesus' Name, AMEN
