rejoice

Philippians 4:4

Paul’s gives instruction to the Philippian church to always rejoice.  It is strengthened when he repeats the command, “again I say rejoice.”  To rejoice is to feel or show great joy or delight.  Paul’s instruction is to always feel and show delight in God. 

It is not always easy to be in joy.  Circumstances and situations in life can test our mind and emotions.  The hurdles of life can loom large and take our focus away from who God is to us, and what He has done.  Nehemiah declared to the people “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”  If the enemy can take our joy, we can be weakened. 

The ability to show and feel delight comes from a knowledge of who we are in Jesus, and what He has done for us.  When we remember what Jesus has done, taking away our sin and shame, and dying on the cross so that we have an eternal inheritance with God the Father, the joy of the Holy Spirit wells up from within us, strengthening us in every way.  When we make a conscious effort to rejoice, we are able to take our mind away from the worries and stresses of the future, and away from the regrets of the past.  We are in the moment enjoying what Christ has done for us.

As we rejoice in the Lord, our faith is built, our attitude brightens, and the light of God begins to brighten what is around us.  Rejoicing in the Lord frees the believer to enjoy and to make the most of this life, eagerly awaiting the next.  Today, may you rejoice in the Lord and be strengthened to praise your way over every obstacle in Jesus’ name!