Rejoice always

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1st Thessalonians 5:18

One of the aspects of my job that I actually enjoy, but is the most exhausting, is how quickly the circumstances can change.  A quiet day with few things to worry about can be suddenly changed with an emergency with a student.  All can be calm with my team and then a sudden piece of unfortunate information can totally change the feeling of the day, and my attitude.  I am sure you are faced with circumstances that can so easily change your attitude, your temper, your trust in a friend, or your feelings toward the world in which we live.  Circumstances are constantly changing, but how we respond to them is what makes all the difference in our attitude and happiness.  There is an old saying that makes my point. “The same boiling water that softens the potato, hardens the egg”. Think about that for a minute!

How a person deals with the ever changing circumstances of life says a lot about their personal toughness and, most importantly, their faith in God.  Throughout this week, my personal circumstances have changed from happy, to frustrated, to happy again, to really frustrated.  Maybe that is why we are told in 1st Thessalonians 5:18 to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks.  He knows our circumstances are constantly changing and only through prayer, faith, and rejoicing in our blessings can we remain content.  In Philippians 4:12, Paul says, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want”.  Paul learned to have faith that every circumstance, whether good or bad, was designed by God and fits perfectly within the will He had planned for his life.  God has also shown us the secret to being content.  Having faith in His promise to never leave us or forsake us and to be with us until the end of time, regardless of the circumstances we face.

Pray continually when faced with good or bad circumstances and ask God to show you how to be content with both. And don’t forget to rejoice always because we have so much to be thankful for.

Chad