"Rejoice always,17 pray continually,18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." ~1st Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV
This morning during my personal time in God’s WORD I once again read this little statement in three simple verses in Paul’s letter found in the New Testament of the Bible. As I read them again slowly today I realized how incredibly challenging Paul’s words are to say the least.
Personally, for me today as I sit on the couch propped up by multiple pillows in intense pain I once again see how difficult the path of righteousness is for those who choose to walk in God’s ways on this planet! Yesterday, I was assaulted by an irate fan at my daughter’s volleyball match because they felt I had blown a call as one of the lineperson’s for the match. My face and body wear the marks of the intense rage that confronted me after the match as I was walking to join my family and friends who were celebrating their victory.
This incident was incredibly challenging to me because it was the first time since coming to faith over 20 years ago that I was involved in any kind of physical altercation. In the past, I simply would have engaged this with equal intensity, but today I simply did my best to “turn the other cheek” and resist the temptation to strike back. However, I must admit today that I find it very difficult to REJOICE… to PRAY for this individual… and to GIVE THANKS in this and all circumstances this morning!
You know… simple words and simple instructions are often the hardest to live out in our lives. I understand the theology and the practicality of Paul’s words to the early churches in Thessalonica but to live by them today is certainly a struggle. I guess that is normal and over time hopefully with the Holy Spirit’s guidance I will be able to engage each one of these three TRUTHS more and more coming out of this situation and circumstance. However, the only way that will happen is “IF” I choose to ENGAGE these TRUTHS today… with all that I can muster… and with all my faith!
And there in lies another TRUTH and that is… that we all have the ability to CHOOSE… to choose God’s Will for us in all of life… or to choose our own desires, for revenge or whatever it may be. God has given us the FREEDOM to CHOOSE and we would not want it any other way which is why Paul calls us to choose wisely in the journey… to choose to SEEK God’s best despite what is happening to us… or around us!
REJOICING… PRAYING… and THANKFUL that God is there in all of life and everything that comes with it…
Rev Trev
Very well put - just got a chance to read this. Just to choose to rejoice, pray and be thankful seems abstract until I think it thru some more. I choose to rejoice that the injuries were not more serious, and that none of the babies in the vicinity were injured. I also choose to rejoice that God is in control, and has opened doors to give Him the glory and talk about my faith with people I hadn't yet had the opportunity to. I continue to pray for the man and his family, as well as for you physically, and our family emotionally. I am thankful that I now have an even deeper compassion for victims of crime, and what they must endure.
ReplyDelete