Sunday, April 23
Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Is that a command from the Lord? Or does it depend on the situation you find yourself in; that you should rejoice? If your situation is difficult, should you not rejoice? If your situation is easy, then can you indeed rejoice?
We must remember, joy is a fruit of the Spirit. If we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the desire of your flesh–which is to do the opposite of what God has commanded (that is, to rejoice). What situation do you find yourself in today? What difficulty are you experiencing? What struggles meet you now? Then, does this apply to you–Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
Paul wrote this as a part of his letter to the Philippian church. Whatever it is that they were experiencing, it required Paul to admonish them to rejoice in that situation. As we will look at two days from now (i.e day 25), Paul went on to write the Philippians to not be anxious about anything, but to pray about everything. He continued to tell them to be mindful of what they thought about. Sometimes the reason as to why we can’t rejoice–or, perhaps, won’t rejoice–is because we have not considered to control our thoughts. What are you thinking about? Monitor your thoughts. That will give you insight–and a clue–as to why you cannotrejoice… or why you will not rejoice. Be mindful of your thoughts and it will assist you in your ability to follow God in His command for you to rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say rejoice.
Prayer Topic:
Lord, your abounding love is unchanging. Holy Spirit, help me to be ever-mindful of your love for me. As I consider You above everything else, help me to rejoice in You (again and again); always!
Wydia O’Neil