Tough Times? Rejoice Anyway!

Rejoice With Thanksgiving! Image by TW Collins via Flickr

Ah, Philippians…  I adore this book.  Hope against hope, joy despite trial, the strength of community and the excitement of a living and growing Gospel movement.  I long for the outlook of Paul in this book.  The strength of his faith and the focus of his true mission makes even imprisonment and the threat of execution seem like a really good time to be thankful. WHAT!?!

Philippians 4: 4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Surpasses all understanding… that’s the phrase that rings true to me.  When Paul writes these words of rejoicing and thanksgiving in the midst of what is probably a frightening and lonely situation, that surpasses all understanding to me.

I want to live in a way where I allow my heart and mind to be guarded in the faith that God will provide, Jesus will accompany and all things will work to the Glory of god.

I was reminded today that sometimes when I work toward living a faithful life I come into conflict with a world that wants to push back for power and control.  I rub against systems that have been built on hierarchy and the rationing of opportunities, recognition and reward.

Don’t misunderstand me, I am in no way saying that I live a perfectly faithful life, I fall far short on most days.  I do try though, to seek Justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God.  In that seeking I do find that there is much resistance from our culture and systems that seem to get wobbly in the face of any understanding of Truth that differs from theirs.

I tend to get angry when this happens.  I feel threatened and challenged and diminished and discounted and fearful.  I get intimidated.  I sometimes get frozen and stop in my tracks.

Paul was imprisoned because he was a threat to the system.  His way of thinking was one that made the status-quo wobbly at best and most often protective and reactive.  They tried to stop him by throwing him in jail and he responded by rejoicing anyway!  He took their reaction as a sign that he was on the right track, he was having an impact, he knew he was making a difference.  His faith had given him a peace which surpassed all understanding.  His imprisonment served to strengthen him and his rejoicing turned others’ hearts towards God.

My prayer is that I learn to Rejoice anyway, that we all learn to “let our requests be known to God” with Thanksgiving.

Rejoice, Rejoice, and Rejoice again, the Lord is near!

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