Rejoice!! (Whatever...Part 4)

Paul says "Rejoice!" He doesn't say rejoice when there's no pandemic, rejoice when you're healthy, rejoice when the bills are paid, or only rejoice when you are happy and things are going well. He says "Rejoice in the Lord always!" Then he repeats himself "Rejoice!"  Here's where our word comes in...whatever is going on in our lives and the world around us we are to Rejoice! Rejoice always!

"Always", wow! That's tough. Always: "at all times, on all occasions" - Rejoice! We don't even have to feel like rejoicing to actually do it. As I was thinking about this and working on this post, I began to realize that I was interchanging the words praise, rejoice, and thanks. I came across this definition of the difference when I Googled it:

From truthimmutable.com 

   "To be thankful concerns our response to what God has done.
    'Rejoice in the Lord' is about our personal, 

        intimate response to our God
     Praise is about His glory and power

    Worship is about His holiness and majesty

    Thanksgiving is about His grace, mercy, 

        and provision and His work on our behalf."

        
Rejoicing "is about our personal, intimate response to our God". As I looked at these definitions, it became clear that rejoicing, praising and worshiping all focus on God's character, who He is apart from what He has done. It turns our focus to Him. God who does not change like shifting shadows. God who is all-sufficient, everlasting, everywhere, all-knowing, steadfast, faithful, true, unshakeable, immutable, creator, almighty and even more.

This really helps me to understand rejoicing always. It's a conscience decision to turn our thoughts from ourselves and our cares and struggles to our awesome God and respond by showing great joy in who He is no matter what the circumstances may be - there is always joy in who He is. There is every reason to rejoice in God always. He is worthy at all times and in every season because He never changes. 

So it really should not be tough at all to rejoice always, because it has nothing to do with us or whatever is going on in our world. It's all about our response to our great God. May we say with the Psalmist:

My mouth is filled with your praise,

declaring your splendor all day long.

Psalm 71:8