1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-8 “REJOICE ALWAYS, PRAY CONTINUALLY, GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES; FOR THIS IS GOD’S WILL FOR YOU IN CHRIST JESUS.”
It’s easy to read these as simply beautiful words but it’s hard to try to live them. The Lord says He wants us to be “THANKFUL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES.” But how can we keep an “Attitude of Gratitude” under dire conditions? How can we “REJOICE ALWAYS?” These are impossible directives. Impossible on our own, but possible with God’s power. Faith is needed to even ask for joy when suffering. We might even feel sacrilegious thinking joyful thoughts when filled with sorrow. But the Lord says we can do the impossible and the joy God gives is beyond what we humans think of joy.