What is rejoicing? Rejoicing literally means “feel or show great joy or delight”. Rejoicing is the CHOICE to speak out loud what good things Jesus is doing in your life: to thank him for his faithfulness, love, and provision.
Thus Paul writes in his letter to the church in Philippi, “Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” Paul will go onto say, in the same paragraph, to set our minds…to think upon…whatever is true and noble and right and pure and lovely and admirable.
Why? Because whatever we set our minds upon….whatever we think about…that becomes our goal. What we focus on shapes us. What we focus on becomes what we love. What we focus on becomes what we want.
Any athlete or businesses owner or creative type will tell you that what you focus on is what you will achieve.
So Paul is saying this: All of my achievements are rubbish…garbage…compared to knowing Christ. Because I want to know Jesus…to truly know who He is and what He’s like, I’m going to choose joy. I will rejoice. I will continually focus all my thoughts on what Jesus is doing right….what Jesus has done for me in the past. Saturated and surrounded by these reminders of his goodness, prayer will be easy. In fact…it will be like I’m praying without ceasing.
So may the Holy Spirit fill you with more and more joy this week. May you choose to speak out loud what you’re grateful for, what you’re thankful for…choosing joy and focusing on what is true and lovely and admirable. And may the peace of Christ guard your hearts in this weary seventh week of quarantine.
I love you all!
Pastor Andy
