“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” – Philippians 4:4
Do you always feel like rejoicing?
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. It’s a day of celebration. The King of kings has come. Our salvation has arrived. So, a passage like “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again, Rejoice!” seems quite fitting for today.
Yet, there are times in our lives when we may not feel very joyful.
For example…2020…the entire year.
So, what is this passage saying? I’ve talked to people at funerals who have said something to the effect of,
“Pastor, I’m sorry I’m crying. I know I should be happy.”
Can I Be Sad? Some people read passages like Philippians 4:4 and think it means that if we ever feel anything but happy we are sinning. That’s not what it’s saying.
Consider these passages:
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18
“So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” – John 16:22
“For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.” – Ecclesiastes 1:18
“And he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.’” – Mark 14:34
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” – Romans 12:15
“Jesus wept.” – John 11:35
There is certainly a place for sorrow and mourning. These are emotions with which God has created us. So, yes, it’s OK to feel sad sometimes.
The Philippians 4 passage is reminding us, though, that our sorrow and mourning aren’t all-consuming. They don’t have the last word, Jesus does.
There is hope and a reason for joy, always.
When people were mourning in the church of the Thessalonians, Paul reminded them that we do not mourn as those have no hope. We know Christ defeated death. Psalm 30:5 reminds us that while sorrow may last the night, joy comes in the morning.
Let’s read the full paragraph of Philippians 4:4 and see how God positions the encouragement to rejoice in the fact that He cares for us, listens to our prayers, and gives us His peace.
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:4-8
Tomorrow, let’s rejoice together that our King and Savior have come and even when we feel sad, let’s turn to the Lord and be reminded of the unending hope and peace we have in Jesus. His Joy comes in the morning!
Heaven Father,
Fill me with the joy of my salvation. When I am sad, comfort me and remind me that You are still there to bring me through. Help me, also, to remind others of the hope and peace You bring.
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’” – Luke 2:8-11
Is Christmas for everyone?
Certainly, these days, everyone can celebrate Christmas in one way or another. I was listening to a panel of people discussing Christmas in America both past and present the other day. One of the panelists was an Orthodox Jew. He said he has several Jewish friends whose families enjoy Christmas every year. They like the lights, family time, gifts, etc.
So, everyone can enjoy Christmas in one sense, but of course, this isn’t the real Christmas. It’s missing both the Christ and the mass (worship service with Communion).
Is that Christmas, the real Christmas, for everyone?
Since Christmas is all about the coming of Jesus, the other way to ask that question is,
“Did Jesus come for everyone?”
In Luke 2:8-11 we hear the angels proclaim that they have “good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Jesus did, indeed come to bring good news and great joy for all people, but that good news which brings great joy is tied inexorably to Jesus.
The Good News is that Jesus, our savior, has come. The great joy is in our salvation. That salvation is available for all people, yet only received by faith in Jesus.
For those who do not believe, the joy they feel on Christmas morning for time with family, gifts, and “the wonder of Christmas” will one day, sadly, turn to sorrow. For, in the midst of all the gifts of iPads, PlayStations, and toys, they missed the best gift of all, the gift of Jesus and His salvation.
Good News and Great Joy I pray you do have great joy this Christmas and I pray it’s found in the Good News of Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection brings our salvation. I also pray that this year, many who haven’t believed in Jesus in the past will discover the true “wonder of Christmas” this year, a babe lying in a manger who is the salvation of all mankind for all who believe.
Dear Jesus,
As we celebrate Christmas, tomorrow, fill my heart with the Joy of my salvation found only in You. Give me faith to believe. Please also be with those throughout the world who do not believe. Cause Your Gospel to be shared, the Good News of Your Salvation and work in their hearts to create faith that they may know true Joy which will never fade.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” – Romans 12:15
Who would stand with you no matter what?
Most of us like being around happy people. It can be uncomfortable, however, being around people who are sad, especially people who are mourning. You may not know what to say or do.
The Christian life, like all people’s lives, is filled with ups and downs. There are times when we feel overjoyed and there are times when we feel overwhelmed with sorrow. Yes, we have the joy of our salvation, but that doesn’t remove the sadness of hurt and loss. Rather, it carries us through the hurt and loss.
Together Through It All Husbands and Wives make a promise to each other to stay with each other in good times and in bad, sickness and health, wealth and poverty. The Christian bond is similar. We, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we also stand together in both good times and bad, joy and mourning.
Sometimes Christians can feel like we are always supposed to be happy. After all, the Bible says to rejoice always. However, it’s alright to feel sad. It’s alright to feel loss. Even Jesus wept. We shouldn’t feel the need to hide that hurt, rather we should feel safe to share it knowing that our church family will share in that sorrow with us and help carry that burden.
What Do I Do? On the other side, there’s the question of how, as a Christian brother or sister, to share those burdens. We may feel inadequate to help and unsure of what to say or do. That’s Okay, too.
You don’t have to have the perfect response. Honestly, there are times when there is no perfect response. There are some things you can do which can mean the world to someone hurting or mourning.
Be There – Whatever else you do (or don’t do), simply being present may be the most meaningful thing you can do. I remember reading an article by a seminary professor who got cancer and needed emergency surgery. One of his students came to the hospital to visit. The student was so nervous he stayed less than a minute and didn’t say anything while he was there. He even threw up after he left the hospital room. The professor wasn’t upset at the shortness or awkwardness of the visit. On the contrary, he was immensely grateful that he came.
Pray – Prayer is a powerful thing. If you can, pray with the person. If you can’t find the words, pray for them in your mind.
Cry With Them – It’s Okay to cry and you can let them know it’s Okay for them to cry as well. Mourn with them.
Share Jesus – Jesus is our hope and our life. You aren’t talking about Jesus and God’s love to remove the pain, but rather to give hope that there is something…someone greater than the pain. We mourn, but we mourn not as those without hope.
Life isn’t always easy. Sometimes it’s very hard, but we don’t live it alone. Jesus is with us and so are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us walk together. Let us carry each other’s burdens.
Dear Jesus,
You wept at the hurt Mary, Martha, and their friends felt as they mourned Lazerus. Help us to care for one another and be cared for by each other. Help us to rejoice with each other as well as mourn with each other.
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Have you ever felt terrible inside, but decided to smile your way through the moment?
I’m reminded of the countless TV shows and movies where the guy or girl sees their crush with someone else and then has to face them. They smile, say everything’s fine, maybe even say it’s great that they are with the other person. Meanwhile, inside, they are devastated.
Rejoice Always? What do we do with Bible verses like 1 Thessalonians 5:16, “Rejoice always.” Does mean we are always supposed to be happy? Honestly, I don’t always feel happy.
When I hear someone is sick, I don’t feel happy.
When I got a pay-cut during a recession, I didn’t celebrate.
When my 3-year old wakes me up at 5am, I’m not overjoyed.
Am I sinning?
Am I disobeying God when I don’t feel happy? Maybe it will help to bring in a greater Biblical context. Consider Romans 12:15.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” – Romans 12:15
We can also look to Ecclesiastes saying there is a time for all things or remember Jesus when Lazarus died or when He was about to be killed. Jesus got sad and upset and so can we. We have a wide range of emotions and those emotions aren’t bad. We may respond badly to them, but the emotion isn’t bad. It’s OK to feel sad. It’s even OK to feel angry within the right context.
So, What Is 1 Thessalonians Saying?
It is God’s will for you to be able to rejoice in all circumstances, whether those circumstances are good or bad. This joy comes from our knowing that whatever the earthly situation, we know our heavenly situation. Any suffering is temporary. Christ has overcome the sin, death, and the world. So, even in the worst situation, we can look past the sorrow or horror and see the victorious Christ and, in Him, our victory.
So, this joy isn’t always expressed in happiness. Sometimes, it’s peace. Sometimes it’s endurance. Sometimes it’s longing. Sometimes it is happiness.
The point isn’t to command you to always put on a smile even when you’re dying inside. It’s to remind you that whatever your situation, there is a greater reality that Christ has won the victory, given you a crown, and nothing can take you away from His hand.
Dear Jesus,
You know what it is like to be human. Sometimes I feel great and sometimes I feel sad. Remind me to thank you in those times happiness. Comfort me in my times of sadness with the knowledge of the victory I have in You that I may know Your joy even in my suffering just as my joy was obtained through Your suffering on the cross.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” – Romans 15:13
How much joy do you feel in life?
I know some people who always seem to have joy, even in difficult circumstances. I know others who almost never seem to experience joy, even in good circumstances.
Why is that?
Much has to do with what we choose to look at. Are we looking at Jesus and thinking of His promises or are we looking at the problems of life. If we only look at the problems, they can dominate us and squelch our joy. If we look to Jesus and realize He is greater than the problems, we have hope and can experience joy and peace even in the worst situation.
In a way, we aren’t really choosing joy. When we say it like that it can sound disingenuous. After all, why would I be joyful when everything stinks? What we are really choosing is to focus on Jesus and that brings joy.
What’s the difference?
When I just try to feel joy all the time, it doesn’t seem real or based in reality. When I focus on Jesus, it changes my perception of reality. I realize that the true reality of the situation isn’t a hopeless problem. The reality is a world that Jesus has overcome. The reality is that Jesus is with me. The reality is that I have great hope because I know Jesus will work through this.
So, I have joy not in spite of reality but because of it. I’ve looked passed the illusion of the world to see Jesus.
What will you focus on, today? How can you focus more on Jesus?
Dear Jesus,
There are many problems in the world and in my life, specifically. As overwhelming as those problems can seem, I know that You are with me and will carry me through them. Help me to trust You. Help me to see You in the storms of my life. By the power of Your Spirit, give me peace and joy as I find my hope in You.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” – James 1:2-3
What are some struggles you are facing right now?
None of us like hard times. Generally, we want to get past those hard times as quickly as possible. During those difficult times, we often plead with God to remove the struggle or complain about it.
Have you ever thought about considering those trials to be joyful experiences?
That’s what James says to do.
Why?
It’s because through those struggles we learn to persevere and cling all the more to God. In some ways, it’s like working out. It’s hard and painful during the workout, but the more you work out the stronger you get and the more you are able to endure physical struggles.
Through our trials, we learn more about God and about ourselves. We become stronger in our faith and are able to better endure future struggles and temptation.
So, just like you might thank your trainer after a work-out, we can thank God for training us up through our trials and we can have joy that God cares enough to help us get stronger.
How is God working in your life right now through your struggles?
Heavenly Father,
I don’t usually like trials and I may complain, but I know you work through those trials to strengthen me and cause me to rely on your more. Remind of that during the struggle that I may know the joy of the struggle.
Amen
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
The Other Six
How To Use These Posts
The Other Six is a short, daily devotional blog post. You can use these posts for personal devotions, however, I’m also going to write them in such a way that you could use them for family devotions. I’ll include a Bible verse, questions and/or discussion points, and a closing prayer. I highly encourage you to do these devotions with your family or friends if possible.
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13
In this passage, Paul says he can do “all things.”
Name off some things that you would include in “all things?”
Did you list anything negative? This passage is often used to say things like,
“You can get the job,”
or
“You can do this project.”
or
“You can win the game!”
This isn’t, however, what Paul is talking about. Paul says he can handle having much or being in need. The text doesn’t indicate Paul is talking about accomplishing things. Rather, he is talking about enduring all things.
In other words, whether I have a lot or a little, joy or sorrow, success or failure, I know I still have Jesus. So, I will find joy in Christ, rather than my circumstance.
This diminishes the affect of your circumstances. If the situation is bad, you know it will only last a little while, but Jesus is eternal. If the situation is good, you know that it’s no where near as good as Jesus. So, even the good circumstances don’t compare to the insurmountable joy of our salvation in Christ.
Does this change your “all things” list?
Heavenly Father,
Give me what You know is best, whether it’s what I would choose or not…whether it’s giving me much or little. Help me to find satisfaction and joy in knowing You regardless of my circumstances.
Amen
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
The Other Six
How To Use These Posts
The Other Six is a short, daily devotional blog post. You can use these posts for personal devotions, however, I’m also going to write them in such a way that you could use them for family devotions. I’ll include a Bible verse, questions and/or discussion points, and a closing prayer. I highly encourage you to do these devotions with your family or friends if possible.