"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" - Philippians 4:iv

When you recall of the give-and-take "rejoice," what practise you typically think of? You might think of rejoicing every bit being in a land of constant happiness and celebrating every particular of your life with unending exuberance.

What about when you see the Scripture that says "rejoice in the Lord always"? Does that take the same sentiment as the mentioned state of happiness above?

Philippians 4:four has the campaigner Paul telling the church of Philippi, in a letter, to e'er rejoice in the Lord, always celebrate the Lord. This carries the understanding that you do it whether you want to or non, whether you are happy with the Lord or not. When you gloat with the right thought in mind about how God works, it will be possible to observe means to rejoice in the Lord.

Allow us examine the following passages in Philippians 4 to run into why this advice from Paul is and then profound and how we can agree to this belief of God's greatness at all times, finding the joy inside building upward equally we give Him thanks.

What Is the Context of Philippians iv?

The book of Philippians is the apostle Paul'southward letter to the church of Philippi to share with them wisdom and encouragement for living out their faith in Christ and standing strong when struggles and persecution might occur.

Retrieve that when information technology came to suffering for your calling, Paul was definitely the skilful. He endured severe persecution for his conventionalities in Christ and call to ministry, so advice from him on rejoicing during trials seems to be a good idea.

Philippians 4 centers mostly on Paul carrying to the believers what to focus on during times of uncertainty. He wants them to besides know that as they go through challenges, they will be able to do more because Christ is in them (Phil. 4:13).

The quaternary chapter of Philippians as well encourages people to not be broken-hearted for annihilation, simply to requite their needs in prayer to God (Phil. 4:half dozen) and gain God's peace in return (Phil. 4:7).

Paul also shared in Philippians 4:11-12 how he has learned to exist content where he is because he knows what it is like to exist hungry and full, to suffer and to abound.

However, with Philippians 4:iv, Paul but declares that we "rejoice in the Lord, e'er. Again I will say, rejoice!" What Paul is proverb here is that we should rejoice at all times, whether nosotros are sorry, happy, aroused, confused, or even tired: at that place shouldn't be a moment that goes by that we aren't giving thanks to the Lord for His love and provision.

joyful mom and daughter singing praise songs with headphones on

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Lordn

What Does It Hateful to "Rejoice in the Lord Always"?

Rejoice, co-ordinate to Merriam Webster Dictionary, is "to requite yous" or "to feel joy or great please," while to rejoice in means to "have or possess."

So, the Scripture conveys that to rejoice in the Lord is to have joy or please in the Lord; to feel joy when you think of Him always.

How do you do that, you lot might inquire? Well, remember of God as you would someone you can see in front of you, whether a family member, friend, co-worker, or someone from your church or community. When you spend time with someone that brings you joy and happiness, you rejoice or delight in being with him or her. You celebrate it.

Although yous can't come across God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, you come up to know that they are there with you, every bit close equally anyone can be to you. You experience their presence when you feel calm in the midst of anarchy, happiness or positivity in the midst of sadness, and confidence in the midst of dubiousness. You are rejoicing in knowing that God is there with y'all, strengthening y'all when you lot are weak and encouraging you when you feel similar giving upwards.

What if You Don't Feel Similar Rejoicing in the Lord?

Specially in our present status of life, it can be hard to rejoice in the Lord when there is pain, struggle, and sadness all around us. Still, it is possible to love on the Lord, to rejoice always, even when you don't experience like it or are grappling with too much pain to think of God.

Philippians 4:iv is followed by the well-known verses shared in Philippians 4:vi-7, where it talks nigh not existence anxious and giving your requests to the Lord with thanksgiving in your middle. Verse 7 follows this with: "and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will baby-sit your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

What these verses country is that when we rejoice in the Lord, we brainstorm to feel peace in our situations, peace in our hearts and minds, because nosotros empathize that God has our prayer requests well in hand and brings us peace until those requests are answered.

Even when y'all accept been waiting a long fourth dimension for a prayer request to happen or a situation to modify, you can rejoice and exist thankful for the Lord in the meantime considering yous know your prayer asking has reached the ears of God and will be answered soon.

One way to rejoice when you don't feel similar it is to recall back on the times that you were waiting on other prayer requests or were in similar situations of distress, and how God provided when information technology didn't look like anything would change. When yous remember what occurred and how beholden y'all were to God, this feeling should fill you with joy and tell yous that God can do this again and again. He is a God who loves and cares for you.

So, Philippians iv:6-vii tells united states not to be broken-hearted, as the world would accept u.s. be, merely hopeful, thankful, and at peace in knowing your prayer requests will be taken intendance of. The earth may be anxious in its lack of control, merely you don't take to be considering you know who is in control.


Photo credit: Unsplash/Nghia-Le

A Prayer to Rejoice in the Lord

As we shut, allow'due south follow what is expressed in Philippians four and rejoice in the Lord ever, equally nosotros give Him our prayer requests and await His peace in return.

Lord God,

Thanks for loving the states and caring for our needs as You do. For You lot know the plan alee for u.s. and know how to guide our steps to be in line with that plan. It's not ever easy to rejoice and remain hopeful in You when problems and circumstances arise, but we have to recollect back on the times we take been in like positions and remember how You blest us more than we idea possible. From big to petty, we tin count the blessings that You lot gave us earlier and notice they are more numerous than we always thought possible. That is considering You know our needs before we ask them, You lot know our heartaches before we take them, and You know what will grow us the most to exist all we tin exist in Your optics. And so, allow us rejoice and exist glad equally we give You our prayers, knowing when nosotros least await it, You will bring them into fruition. We requite all of this to Y'all in Jesus's name.

Amen.

God Will Provide

Rejoicing in all situations, specially nowadays, can be difficult to do, if not impossible, at times. However, God has called us to rejoice in Him always, knowing that nosotros are loved and cared for past an eternal God.

The apostle Paul knew well the suffering that nosotros can endure in our day, having experienced several bouts of it throughout his ministry building. But he reminds us in this affiliate that we need to e'er be looking to God for hope and encouragement. God will provide for our needs when no 1 else tin.

Every bit nosotros bypass feelings of apprehension of rejoicing when we are going through difficult situations, hopefully nosotros will permit those feelings be replaced by feelings of peace and confidence that the God who began a skillful work in us will fulfill it in His children.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/torwai

Blair Parke  is a freelance author for BibleStudyTools.com, and previously worked for eight years with Xulon Printing. A graduate of Stetson University with a Bachelor'south in Communications, Blair previously worked as a writer/editor for several local magazines in the Central Florida area, including Celebration Independent and Lake Mag in Leesburg, Florida and currently freelances for the Southwest Orlando Bulletin.

This commodity is part of our larger resources library of pop Bible poesy phrases and quotes. We want to provide piece of cake to read manufactures that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. It is our hope that these will aid y'all improve understand the pregnant and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today.

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