Rejoice in the Lord Always

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 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 NIV

Rejoice. That's a command, yet I don't think we think about it like that. Paul actually says it twice to make sure we hear it. Rejoice! 

What do you think of when you think of commands? You may get a negative feeling. You may feel restricted like I sometimes do when I think of rules. But rules are actually used as a producer of further freedom.

Philippians 4:7 is my favorite verse. I crave peace. I crave rest. And Paul in this verse is telling us that there is peace, powered by God and not us. A peace imparted to us that doesn't make sense to others. A peace and bliss you find yourself in while resting in Jesus. This peace is available for us when we pray. Whenever we pray, wherever we pray. How should we pray? If you're craving peace, you can have it if you just pray, but Paul says to do it with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is interesting. Sometimes, we have a surface-level understanding of thanksgiving and gratitude. We think of it like I thought about the burden of my parents forcing me as a little kid to write thank-you cards to people who sent me birthday gifts. We see thanks as something to just get out the way or sprinkle on situations to be polite, but is there a way that thanksgiving actually leads to this peace we all crave? 

We just said that commands are given to open the door for freedom. Being intentional about what we allow in our life, space, or mind creates the platform for other things we might crave. Exercise and discipline often is the prerequisite to the freedom found in good health. Honest communication and intentionality are often precursors to relational success. God is commanding us to rejoice because He knows a decision to limit our minds to the positive will result in more positive. A decision to allow God to change our minds will result in the transformation of our situation. So why is rejoicing so important? Why is it important to give thanks? Because rejoicing and giving thanks forces you to remember. 

Remember what exactly? Who God is and what He has been consistent in doing for us. He won't change. He loved you before and He still loves you. He chose and still chooses you. He fought for you before so why wouldn't He fight now?

Oftentimes, as humans, we find ourselves going back to our default settings: protecting ourselves, providing for ourselves, and following our purpose by ourselves. What thanksgiving does is allow you to remember that you never won the victory on your own in the first place. You have an advocate who is fighting for you. God has never let you down. He has never left you. He has never lost and never will. If you remember that the bill is already paid, you won't stress about the finances anymore. Remembering the past battles just allows you to be reminded of who is fighting for you. Remembering what God did reminds you of what He will continue to do and this leads to peace that surpasses all understanding.

In many movies, people travel back in time and choose the winning lottery numbers they know will be chosen in the future. People around them may not understand why they put so much faith in the numbers they choose to stand on. What's interesting is the time travelers have more faith in the numbers cause they have actually seen those numbers win before. When you see God work, it gives you the faith to know that He will continue to work. 

Others might not get it, but they don't have the same experience. 

Recounting on the goodness of God reminds you that He is God and you are not. Being reminded of what God has done will remind you what He will do. Remembering what He has spoken over you will remind you that His word has—and will—always come true.

So when you feel overwhelmed, small, or stressed be reminded of the God who fights for you. Be reminded of the times He came back and won the game for you. 

You have a prime Tom Brady throwing for you. You have a Steph Curry shooting for you. You have a Usain Bolt running for you. People who haven't seen God move in their lives won't be able to understand why you have peace because they don't know how elite a player is on your team. You’ve seen Him win before. Doesn't it give you some peace to remember that He can win this for you again?

Y’all, I recently realized I sometimes live in the future and it causes me stress and anxiety. So I prayed for God to make me present in the present. The next morning, I found old letters, notes, songs, poems, and meeting notes dating back to 2017. I saw my dreams evolve. I saw my passions and testimony form. But above all, I realized I was living in so many of my prayers. I remember crying at night wondering if I was good enough to graduate. I remember pleading that God would use me. I remember asking God to grow me and heal me. And I'm living in the answers to those prayers. 

Seeing how much God has actually answered my prayers built my faith so much by fueling my excitement. I know what God has done, and I can't wait to see what He will do next. Go look for old prayers or thoughts and rejoice in how much He has done. If He was so intentional back then, why would He stop now? You’re still living in the seed of a blessing you’ll see years from now. 

Keep going. And Rejoice. 

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If you want to partner with me in inviting others to enjoy the peace found in Jesus, share this link to your family group chat, work-friend, mama, or dog-sitter. Whoever God puts on your mind that may need encouragement today. I am praying that you experience God’s peace and remember it for the next time you feel the storms of life approach. 

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