Q2. Rejoicing

[Pastor Ralph]

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to “Rejoice always”? What is our natural tendency when we’re under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

[Nandita]

 

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to "Rejoice always"? 

A joyful heart is one that is most conducive to hearing God's voice. When you train yourself to look at life with appreciation you live with perpetual inner joy. You may not always be happy, especially in times of stress, but you can always experience the warm glow of inner joy that comes from your relationship with Jesus.  An attitude of gratitude shapes your perspective—and perspective is the filter through which we experience and understand life.

 

What is our natural tendency when we're under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

When we're under stress we tend to worry or panic—and that behaviour is the antithesis of faith. Faith in God is not just believing in his existence. Faith is believing that he loves us, believing that he is good, believing that he wants what's best for us, knows what's happening to us, and will stay true to his promises to protect us. With active faith in God you know that you can always turn to him for help, no matter the circumstances. Whether it's something earth-shattering like the health of a loved one, something urgent like a deadline at work, or something small like a personal insecurity, you can commit your trouble and fears to God. He may take away your problem himself or give you the tools to do it. He may lead you to the right people or he may give you peace of mind and resilience of spirit. He may choose to help you in ways you never thought possible. Whatever happens, you can be sure that our all-loving and all-powerful God is watching your footsteps and listening to your prayers.

 

I always find it helpful, during times of stress, to think of situations in my past when things looked desperate or lost beyond measure. God always brought great fortune out of the ashes of my misfortune. The plans that fell through were replaced by plans that were far worthier. I lost the friendship of the people I cared for only to be led to people of greater integrity. I lost the love of the person I wanted only to be led to a husband so perfect that it feels like God had him tailor-made for me. I lost the life I was building only to have it rebuilt in a way I could never imagined possible. God's way is infinitely better than my way.

 

If I'm in a stressful or impossible situation I can't always instantaneously stamp out the worry. I can, however, keep it under control or eliminate it completely when I remember that God has brought me through all sorts of adversity. We always have a lot to be thankful for. In times of stress we have this: God is with us, watching us, loving us. No problem is too big—or small—for him. When we walk on God's path with a joyful heart that nurtures our faith, we walk towards peace, happiness, productivity, and love.

[Travis81]

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to "Rejoice always"?

I believe Paul exhorts Philippians, Thessalonians, to hearers and readers of those days as he does to the readers hearers of this day and the days to come in the Lord instead of given devotion to difficulties, trying situations, circumstances or events.  He isn’t suggesting ignore the difficulties, trying situations, circumstances or events but more so the Christians/Believers joy is not based on agreeable/pleasant/desirable situations, circumstances or events in life.  Instead, the Christian/Believer, (Our), joy should be based on the intimate relationship with Christ. We will face/encounter trouble in this world (tests/trials/tribulations) in doing so will we continue to server the Lord, will we continue to seek His face, will we continue to place Him first or will we place the situations, circumstances or events of our life first. (James 1:2-10)

 

What is our natural tendency when we're under stress?

Our natural tendency is not to manage negative stress.

Our natural tendency at times at times when we lean unto our own understanding is to place the focus on the negative aspects of the test/trial/tribulation and/or non-agreeable/unpleasant/undesirable harsh situations, hard circumstances or painful events in life.

The surrendered life unto Christ has its challenges; amazingly as He walked the earth, He likewise faced challenges.

The GREAT thing He didn’t leave us comfortless; just as He sought the comfort of the Father we too should as we face challenges.  Taking a passage out of context: when I am lacking in strength; not able to sustain or exert much weight, pressure, or strain; not able to resist external force or withstand attack in Him I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

John 16:33 - These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 14:27)

Jude 1:24 - Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

 

What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith?

I believe as we rejoice in the Lord, as we give thanks to Him in everything not for everything, we HONOR Him. As we honor Him, we demonstrate faith in Him.

As we rejoice in Him and give thanks unto Him, we abstain from every form of evil/from all appearance of evil and we do not quench/grieve the Spirit. We demonstrate our belief in Him.  

I believe when we rejoice and give thanks in the midst of non-agreeable/unpleasant/undesirable harsh situations, hard circumstances or painful events in life our walk in in line with that of the three Hebrew boys of Daniel 3. They made not attempt to deny the fiery pit exist, to ignore the circumstance/situation before them.  Verses 16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Faith.

[Travis81]

In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

 

When I do not abide in the Vine; when I separate myself from Him

[Uncle Dave]

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to "Rejoice always"? What is our natural tendency when we're under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

Our natural tendency when stress comes to the scene often turns into a “fight or flight” decision. It is normal for many to try to take matters into their own hands and fix the problem under our own power. In a secular situation, we have the “worldly winners” who seem to be able to handle anything that comes along but having been around and talked to many like this, it quickly becomes apparent that they have no real peace and always have a million things (which in the end will add up to nothing) on their minds.

There is also those who simply try to avoid trouble when it shows its face and attempt, among a number of ways to escape. Alcohol & drugs have claimed many a victim among those who simply don’t know how to handle loss and are not among the ranks of the fighters (when it comes to dealing with things beyond their control).  

Either way, without Christ there can be no peace of mind under stress because they either refuse to accept the fact that worldly gain is empty and wear themselves down fighting against the current to save what they have. If you lose everything you have (possessions, etc.), but have Christ you have the promise of eternal life in a world where pain ceases to exist, and every tear is removed.   

When I think about rejoicing, I think of gladness, amplified feelings of happiness and joy. Being thankful is just what the word says. Connecting these words with faith? Most have no idea how one can rejoice when things get so bad there appears to be no way out of the “pit” they might have fallen into (pit could mean any number of problems), but when one has Christ, he/she knows that no matter how bad things get, the belief in the promise He has given us in the end will carry us. That is something to be glad about. When I look at people who refuse the joy of the promise Christ gives us it brings a sad feeling upon me. I used to be one of them people and can’t explain why I was more interested in having things on my mind I didn’t even know how to deal with, thinking I knew when it was time for fight of flight but no real victory in the end. I feel like I walked around with a blind fold on and couldn’t see the peace true Christians felt. That was my loss.

This last question forces me to be honest with myself and admit some truths about myself. When things aren’t exactly going the way I think they should be going I tend to let my self-serving nature take over and I find myself not praising God. I am noticing this takes place more often that I would care to admit. I appreciate the question more than you will ever know though.

[Uncle Dave]

My apologies, I double submitted. Hopefully this will be removed.

 

Edited October 6, 2019 by Uncle Dave
My apologies for the edit...I double submitted and hopefully this empty post will be removed.

[Queen Mc Daniel]

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to "Rejoice always"?

Because of salvation. Christ has paid the penalty for my sin, a debt impossible to pay. I am redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. God promises that He will take all the circumstances that attack us and work them out for good (Romans 8:28). In addition, He has given me eternal life, what a privilege to see, living face to face with Him and serving Him forever and ever. The believer who knows and keeps his mind upon these glorious facts can do nothing but rejoice.”
 What is our natural tendency when we're under stress?

We fail to give praise when dealing with pain, distress and grief; our natural tendency often is to blame others for struggles we face from day to day.

What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith?

The scripture tells us that faith “is the substance of things hope for, the evident of things not seen.” Hebrew 11:1. We rejoice because the victory has already been won.  When I'm giving praise with thanksgiving in my heart ,I can rejoice,because I can take my mind off of my circumstances and place it on the one who can bring me the peace I need, that' the Holy Spirit..

 In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

When I am displeased with myself.    I am thankful for these scriptures,  they are helping me with my  spiritual growth.    "¹⁶ Be joyful always; ¹⁷  pray continually; ¹⁸  give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

 

[garymerkel]

I believe one reason some believers feel uncomfortable rejoicing when feeling down or when bad things happen is that they feel hypocritical.  It is never hypocritical to do the right thing.  It is called the SACRIFICE of praise.  My wife recently had a heart attack, 100% blockage in the widow maker artery.  GOD brought her through.  Did I say, "Thank You God for giving my wife a heart attack?"  Wrong question.  There was total joy and peace in my heart knowing my wife knew Jesus as her personal Savior and Lord.  Was I sorrowful over the attack?  YES, but rejoiced in God's love and goodness even before her life was spared.  He walked with her and us through the valley of the shadow of death and neither of us feared but HE was with us and in us.

When you KNOW your name is in God's forever Book of Life...to die is GAIN, even if the moments or longer are painful before we close our eyes in physical death.  I always rejoice and I am always thankful because of Who Jesus IS, What He has DONE, and Who He is IN me and who I am IN Him.  At the same time I cry out to God as the Psalmist.  Following Scripture always brings joy and peace, even through pain and suffering.  I have never had to suffer like Paul or the martyrs and could never suffer like Jesus, but the little suffering because of heart attack for my wife, afib for me, - is nothing.  So, today, I rejoice and praise my wonderful Lord and Coming King!!

[JanMary]

On 8/28/2019 at 10:35 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

 

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to “Rejoice always”? What is our natural tendency when we’re under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

1. I believe it's because no matter what is coming at us or going on around us....when we are In Christ, we are on our way to Heaven, and anything that "touches  us" must first pass through the Lord's hand of permission....so His promise is that He will use it for good in our lives and the lives of others around us.. Romans 8:28, and there is a comma before the next part of the promise "....that we be conformed to the image of Christ".  What a glorious promise...in the end we will be like Him in character.....and He never fails!

Worship keeps our focus on HIM rather than on our circumstances....even in wonderful circumstances, worship and rejoicing focus our hearts on the GIVER, rather than the gift.  In hard places, worship and rejoicing remind us we're just pilgrims passing through this place and He will lead us to our true home one day...and in the meantime He is building our faith.

2. Typically, it's to complain, murmur, grumble, get depressed, irritated or overeat...(that was a joke)

3. It is being obedient to the One Who made us and knows what is best for us....Who knows that griping and complaining are unbelief and lead to a downward spiral emotionally...like self pity or anger...and anger turned inward becomes depression.

4. Being led to the edge of the cliff and having to wait and wait and wait for direction or relief. 

[Lottie]

2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to "Rejoice always"? What is our natural tendency when we're under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

We are commanded to rejoice always in order that others who do not know God can see our joy and faith in God and come to Him. This is evidence to them of how God can help them have joy and peace in every circumstance. We are commanded to rejoice because it is the only way to have peace in our lives when things are going wrong. When we remember who He really is and what He has done for us before then we can have faith that He is able to come through for us again. We remember that He is and does good. This peace is greater then our problems or trials and we can trust Him. When we worship and praise Him we take our minds off of our problems and focus on Him and on heaven. Even though our natural tendency is to grumble, complain or worry about our problems; praise and thanksgiving takes our mind off of ourselves and put it on Jesus. We cannot praise and complain at the same time.when we choose to rejoice then we finally are freed from our worries.

I am finding it extremely hard now to rejoice as I should because of my circumstances. I am worried about my bills and the state of the house and my daughter's health. At times my thoughts and worries consume me. I am having a hard time praising Him in the midst of all the chaos in the world now.Often my mind tends to create what if situations and then I worry and stew about them. I know i should give them over to God and leave them there. I just have to get it  from my head and into my heart now.

[jesus]

We are commanded by the Lord to "Rejoice always" because as believers in Jesus we have the Spirit of God which enables us to be joyful. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and when we chose to be joyful in every situation we show our trust in God and keep the enemy of our soul away. When we rejoice we are obedient to God who asks us to be joyful and not stressful. When we rejoice we express our  faith in Almighty God and His promises who will never fail us or forsake us. As rejoicing Christians we became a source of encouragement to many others and become spread the fragrance of Christ around us. 

Our natural tendency when we are under stress is panic, worry, doubt and get away from God. We lose our focus on Christ and we focus more on the problem. 

When you truly are able to rejoice in God whatever comes our way, its a demonstration of our faith in God and shows the level of our faith in Him. True joy expressed in times of adversity shows how matured we are in Christ .

When I feel I am waiting long for an answer from God, or situations in my life go against me , or people oppose and misunderstand me, I do find it difficult to praise God. Even as I begin my day, the tasks ahead of me look overwhelming and I already stressed than being joyful. Yet, I make a purposeful decision to put on the garment of praise and put on the praise songs aloud and worship God which helps me be joyful and accomplish everything.

 

[Old Jerry]

We are to “Rejoice always” because we know that God has always got our back. Sometimes he doesn’t answer us the way that we think He should but if we look back it was probably a good thing that He didn’t. Our natural tendency, when we are under stress, is to find somebody to blame and go around complaining. When I am really down and seem to have a heavy burden is when I have a difficult time praising God.

[Rapunzel]

a. We are commanded to rejoice always because it helps us to focus on God and what He can do rather than our circumstances. It gives us a different perspective on our situation, creates a shift in our attitude, prevents complaining and it invokes God's blessing in our lives.

b. When we are under stress our natural tendency is to give up, worry,  complain, give in to frustration or get depressed.

c. Rejoicing and giving thanks involve faith because it requires us to believe that God will come through for us even though our circumstances may be dire.  

d. I find it difficult to praise God when I am physically tired, emotionally stressed or if there is unconfessed sin in my life.

[RD35]

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to "Rejoice always"? What is our natural tendency when we're under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

1. Christians are called out to live with rejoice always no matter what they face, because by doing so they overcome the enemy and do not succumb to his lies.  When we rejoice no matter how tough our circumstances are the fruit of the Spirit 'joy' becomes evident in us for others to see.  By rejoicing always we celebrate God, we trust in His promises, that He will never fail us.

2. Our Natural tendency when we are under stress is to be sulking, grumpy, grouchy, whining, irritable, cantankerous, cranky, edgy, depressed or sad .  We will do anything but rejoice.

3. Rejoicing and thanking God always shows that we have faith in God even through tough times, believing that He is in control and can use even the most trying of our situations to bring about good.   it does not reflect well on Him, when we as His children live a gloomy life. It doesn’t make sense to say God is your Father, and yet live a miserable joyless life filled with fear, depression and unhappiness.  Faith in God gives us the confidence that He will bring us through the storms in life. Hence God wants us to be cheerful no matter what, and this also sends across a positive message to unbelievers about Him.
4. Sometimes when things do not go the way i had planned, when someone hurts me I find it difficult to praise God.

 

 

[blezed]

Why do you think we are commanded to “Rejoice always”?

We must rejoice always because God never fails.  We must continue to trust and praise him even when we are struggling.

What is our natural tendency when we’re under stress?

Our natural tendency is to grumble and get depress.

What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith?

Everything!  It shows that we believe God will work it out in our favor.

In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

My family mean the world to me.  When my daughter was going thru a bout of illness, I could not understand why God allowed this to happen to someone that had so much faith in him.

[t-c]

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to "Rejoice always"? What is our natural tendency when we're under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

 a. Because if we don't, we have already lost the battle. The battle belongs to the Lord. We need the get in line with His will and He will see us through whatever situation we find ourselves in. So we are to rejoice because we know that God is in control, no matter what the situation.

 b. To complain, to be fearful, or angry; to handle it our way.

 c. Well, faith is believing in something not seen. And is counter intuitive to the culture we live in. Rejoicing and praising or thanking God when things aren't going well is also counter intuitive in our society. Our reaction to a bad situation, (rejoicing/thanking) is showing our faith in God and believing that He has this situation under control; that we need to keep our eyes on Him.

 d. I guess when I see situations in life where lawlessness and evil prevail time and time again and there seems to be no end to it. It doesn't stop me from praising Him but I realize that I'm not God and do not comprehend the world as he does.

[Preistina11]

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to "Rejoice always"? Rejoicing in the Lord in all circumstances, we rejoice in the truth that God will never forsake us. Roman 8:28 and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

What is our natural tendency when we're under stress? As humans we tend to focus on the circumstances and feel stress. We tend to forget when God is for us nothing can stand against us. It is His grace and mercy and the Holy Spirit that bring to mind that we need not be stressed, all we need to do is stay calm, for God is always in control of everything.

What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? It arise our faith in Christ and in turn makes our faith grow. Help my unbelief, forgive my doubts, thank you for faith, and You God are so kind and good to say even as small as a mustard seed is what is required.

In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?When there seems to be fear and doubt and unbelief at times.

[haar]

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Q. Why do you think we are commanded to "Rejoice always"? What is our natural tendency when we're under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith?

A. To rejoice in all situations whether they look good or bad because in all situations God works for our good. But we complain and grumble

Q. In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

A. In bad situations such as disappointment, failure, losses etc I normally find myself not inclined to praise God

 

[hanks]

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Why do you think we are commanded to "Rejoice always"? 
What is our natural tendency when we're under stress? 
What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? 
In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?
Out of gratitude and thankfulness we should always be rejoicing. We put our faith in Christ and received eternal life (John 3:16). This is not all, there are many more eternal blessings that come when we put our trust in Him, including our inheritance kept in heaven for us (1 Pet 1:4). We rejoice always, knowing that “the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Also, “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him” (Romans 8:28). We can never thank our Lord enough, and when we think about it, He is the source of our rejoicing, and this is reason enough to rejoice always and always. Although rejoicing is not just a suggestion, but a command, I feel we should always choose to praise the Lord. He is ever present always listening always answering, and it for us to rejoice in the Lord, in the presence of the Lord, remembering He is always with us. Our rejoicing should be in what the Lord has done, continues to do, and will do in the future, regardless of our circumstances or feelings. Our hope is in the Lord, for He is our rock and our salvation (Psalm 62:6). This alone is reason enough to rejoice always.
Our circumstances and feelings should never stop us from rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks. Our inner attitudes do not have to reflect our inward circumstances. Paul was full of joy because he knew no matter what happens to him, Jesus was with him. Whatever happens to us Christ is in us and we are in Him. In Christ we should rejoice always as His suffering and resurrection have secured a joyous future for all who placed their faith in Him. 
It is easy to be discouraged about unpleasant circumstances or to take unimportant events too seriously. But all I have to do is look around at those people who are less fortunate than I am. This is enough for me to praise Him and thank Him; forgetting about my minor discomforts. We must reach out to others and help where we can because being self-centred makes you miserable – you cannot be a joyful person. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. This eternal perspective helps us rejoice always. 
 

[rosegarden]

On 8/28/2019 at 1:35 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to “Rejoice always”? What is our natural tendency when we’re under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

a. We are commanded to Rejoice always, because it is our way out of the situation we find ourselves in. As we rejoice in the Lord it brings happiness and joy back into our lives.

b. Our natural tendency is to grumble and complain.

c. As we rejoice and give thanks and praise to the Lord in faith, believing,  even though we don't feel like it, as we do, the breakthrough comes.  Our focus is to be on the Lord and not on the problem.

d. When I am under stress and overwhelmed by a situation but then the scripture comes to mind.  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

 

 

[Godswriter]

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to “Rejoice always”? What is our natural tendency when we’re under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

We are commanded to rejoice always because the Lord is the one who gave us everything we have and He is the one who gives us trials that we go through. He is our Creator as well. Our natural tendency is to be like the Israelites and complain, grumble and be ungrateful to the Lord. When we thank God for the answers before they come we are acknowledging Him and His faithfulness to us and how much we trust Him. For me, it comes when I am going through a tough season in my life where nothing is going right and my prayers aren't being answered.

[lighthouse2014]

On 8/28/2019 at 12:35 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to “Rejoice always”? What is our natural tendency when we’re under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

We always rejoice in the Lord because he provides everything for us, we should not be anxious about anything. We place everything into his hands.

Our natural response to stress to worry our hearts out, but praising the Lord and having faith in him relieves the stress. Of course, let us not forget when we are under stress we should do our best to pray for his help.

Whether in good times or bad, rejoicing and thanking God for all he has supplied us with increases our faith in him and allows him to work in our lives.

The hardest circumstance in which I find it difficult to praise God is no doubt in financial difficulties, regardless of the meticulous work I put into it. Be it stressful as it is, paying tithes is top priority.     

[Temidayo]

On 8/28/2019 at 11:35 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q2. (Acts 16:25; Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) Why do you think we are commanded to “Rejoice always”? What is our natural tendency when we’re under stress? What does rejoicing and thanking have to do with faith? In what circumstance do you find difficulty praising God?

Joy is a fruit of the spirit and also a basic mark of christian. 

Natural tendency when one is under stress is to be unhappy and troubled; but if we obey the commandment of "Rejoice always" just like Paul and Silas did in the prison they are in a very distressed situation but they prayed and give praises to God this led to chains broken, locked doors open and joy overflow.

it makes our faith very strong . 

When I am unhappy, distressed and after some time I fall back on praising God and all things will be come to normal and the burden becomes lighten.

[Stanley Tavaziva]

When Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten, and placed in stocks in the inner cell. Despite this situation, they praised God, praying and singing as the other prisoners listened. To us  no matter what our circumstances, we should praise God. Others may come to Christ because of our example.

It seems strange that a man in prison would be telling a church to rejoice. But Paul’s attitude teaches us an important lesson: Our inner attitudes do not have to reflect our outward circumstances. Paul was full of joy because he knew that no matter what happened to him, Jesus Christ was with him. Several times in the scriptures Paul urged the Philippians to be joyful, probably because they needed to hear this. It’s easy to get discouraged about unpleasant circumstances or to take unimportant events too seriously. If you haven’t been joyful lately, you may not be looking at life from the right perspective.

As you near the end of a long race, your legs ache, your throat burns, and your whole body cries out for you to stop. This is when friends and fans are most valuable. Their encouragement helps you push through the pain to the finish line. In the same way, Christians are to encourage one another. A word of encouragement offered at the right moment can be the difference between finishing well and collapsing along the way. Look around you. Be sensitive to others’ need for encouragement, and offer supportive words or actions.

[Maggz]

We rejoice in the provision of God for us, and therefore our rejoicing assumes that God is in control, no matter the circumstances.   It is a natural result of our faith.

Our natural tendency under stress is either to hit out and blame someone else, or to lapse into a self-pitying melancholy and to feel that God has turned His back on us.

We rejoice and give thanks because we know that God is in control, and that he has a plan for each one of us which is to give us a future and a hope.  This is faith in the ultimate goodness of God

This has been a particularly difficult year for me personally.  An operation early in the year was not covered by medical aid, and I had to meet the costs myself.   Initially, there was fear rather than joy - what if any large expense during the year threatened my precarious financial position?    But, as the year went on, my faith in the provision of God grew, and now I can look back with joy on how He has protected me this year.