Why and how do we rejoice and give thanks?
As I share the word of God with you, I pray that you and I may experience "being Spirit-filled." I am very confident that we would experience that as we pay all our attention to the word of God, which I am going to share. The bible says, "Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1Th 5:16-18)
As we reflect on these verses, we have to notice at least three things here. First, we are not merely to rejoice, pray, and give thanks, but do it always, without ceasing, and in everything. In other words, we are commanded to rejoice, pray, and give thanks regardless of our circumstances and situations. Apostle Paul is describing here our lifestyle as Christian, which involves every aspect of our lives.
Secondly, we also have to remember that this command was given to every Christian. It didn't say, "this is God's will for some of you." Just as God commanded every Christian to be Spirit-filled, so did God with this command. Living a Spirit-filled life should be the norm for every Christian. By the same token, according to Paul, rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks in whatever circumstances should characterize the life of every Christian.
Thirdly, this command wasn't given to an individual but the church. This command should characterize not only our individual lifestyle as a Christian but also our church. Such being the case, is our church known for such life? Is our church rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks to God in everything?
Before we answer the question, let me define what is to rejoice always and give thanks in everything. Does God suggest here that we live a life with a positive perspective? Even nonbelievers say such things: live a life focused on positive things enjoying your life, rejoicing and giving thanks, etc. Many of those nonbelievers seem to live such a life more so than even the believers. They say you can maintain a positive attitude about your life despite the difficult circumstances you may be in. They may suggest, for example, that you compare yourself with those who are in worse cases. They may suggest that you give thanks by remembering when things used to be worse and harder, or you comfort yourself thinking about what might have been worse.
I acknowledge it's generally commendable to maintain a positive perspective despite the circumstances. At the same time, this isn't what Paul meant by giving thanks in whatever circumstances and rejoicing always. You might say Paul had a positive perspective on all circumstances and situations. Still, he never suggested that we compare our circumstances with those of others or other times to come up with reasons to be thankful or rejoice.
If Paul was not talking about a positive perspective, then what did he talk about? Was he then simply saying, "rejoice and give thanks" unconditionally and without thinking or reasoning? I don't think this either is what he meant. Whether you are Christian or not, for you to rejoice and give thanks, you have to have a reason or condition for rejoicing and giving thanks. It doesn't matter who you are, but when you rejoice and give thanks, I repeat, there must be a reason or condition for that.
This being the case, Paul was saying there is reason to be thankful in everything and rejoice always. We can give thanks and rejoice for relatively good things and conditions from time to time, but not always nor in everything. One shouldn't expect you always to rejoice and give thanks in every circumstance unless you have an exceptional condition and reasons to do that.
This very special condition or reason must have at least three characteristics if we want to rejoice and thankful always.
First, this exceptional reason has to be something unchanging or constant. You may give thanks and rejoice over something changing; then you may not another time. You may be thankful for your health, but you can't rejoice over your health forever because it changes at any moment.
Secondly, this should be not only unchanging but also good. Like hell, though unchanging, it can't be the reason for rejoicing and giving thanks.
Thirdly, this should also be more important than anything else. I mean it has to have an absolute value. Suppose you inherited a billion dollars. Probably, you would live and die as rich, which means you have something unchanging and good. However, if you lost your health or your loved one, your money wouldn't be much help to be thankful.
Thus, if you want to live a life rejoicing and to give thanks to God even when you lost your money, health, and even loved one, you must have a reason or value which is more important than those
Now, can you think of the reason that meets all these three conditions?
The answer is God. That's why Habakkuk gave thanks "Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls." (Hab 3:17-18)
The answer is also Jesus. He is unchanging. He is good and important more than anybody and anything else. That's why Paul could write in prison, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! "Phi 4:4 He said, "rejoice in the Lord," but not in something changing, relatively good, relatively important. Rejoice in the Lord always because our Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Heb 13:8) He is the best, and He is the most important.
The answer is the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised the river of the living water that will flow out of our hearts, referring to the Holy Spirit, which permanently satisfies our soul. No wonder joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
The love of God, the salvation of our Lord Jesus, and our eternal life, all these are unchanging, absolutely good, and important. Those are the reasons that we can be thankful in whatever circumstance and rejoice always.
God allowed us an event by which we can own all those reasons. Do you know what that is?
The event was that "Jesus died for our sins on the cross." That's why we call this event the Good News though it had seemed the most tragic event ever happened in human history. It is not just a piece of good news, but the Good News, with a definite article. It's not one piece of good news, but rather it's the only kind of Good NEWS, absolute Good News. This Good News is the power of God for those who are being saved. (1 Co 1:18) It is the power of God because it serves as a constant reminder that we have the reason to rejoice always, give thanks in every circumstance.
It is interesting to notice to whom Paul was writing this letter. It was to Thessalonians. Paul shared this Good News to them earlier: "you became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with the joy from the Holy Spirit." (I Thessalonians 1:6) They received the Good News with gladness despite severe persecution. The Good News is the absolute condition to rejoice, no matter how extreme circumstances you are in.
But, even after they accepted the Good News, the persecution went on. According to Acts 17:5, the Jews in Thessalonica became jealous, and when they had brought together some scoundrels from the marketplace and formed a mob, they set the city in an uproar. Attacking Jason's house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly. Paul had to escape from there to Brea in the middle of the night. But, the scoundrels came all the way to Brea to agitate and disturb the crowds, who were listening to Paul.
Then again, Paul had to leave there to Athens and then from there to Corinth. Paul wrote this letter to the Thessalonians while in Corinth. The church in Thessalonica started in persecution and was still suffering persecution when Paul wrote this letter. In fact, 7 times the word 'persecution' was mentioned in 1 & 2 Thessalonians. 1 Thessalonians 4:13 for example, explains the reason why Paul wrote this letter: "We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope."
Do you realize the background Paul was referring to? Since Paul ministered briefly both in Brea and Athens and only one and half years in Corinth, it means within at most two years, even assuming Paul wrote this letter in the latter part of his ministry in Corinth, many believers died during such a short time. It is more reasonable to think they died because of persecution rather than natural death.
Paul was commanding them in such severe circumstances to give thanks and rejoice. He said neither "to bear the difficulties" nor "to ask God's consolation." Why didn't he say that? It was because they had the reason to give thanks and rejoice regardless of their circumstances. The reason is the Good News, which they received with such gladness despite persecution because it gave them salvation and the power to overcome all the difficulties.
How come Paul did such command knowing all the persecution and sufferings that they were going through? I think the answer is found in 1 Cor. 2:2, which reveals Paul's life and determination while ministering at Corinth, from which he sent this letter.
"For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." While Paul was in Corinth, the Good News possessed his mind and thinking (Acts 18:5). He called himself a servant of the gospel. He had determined not to know other than the Good News, which means that Jesus died for our sins. He didn't consider his life important to share this gospel. This Good News, the Thessalonians, received with gladness while suffering persecution, is the unchanging condition that enabled them to give thanks and rejoice regardless of their circumstances.
I believe the abundant life Jesus promised refers to this unchanging condition. Jesus came that they may have life and have it in abundance. And He laid down His life for them. (John 10:10-11) Jesus Himself knew that we would have life and have it in abundance only when He laid down His life for us. Of course, this abundant life Jesus promised is not depending on our circumstances and our time and place dimension.
It is not God's will that we live miserable lives before we enter heaven though some may think it is. He wants us to live such abundant life, giving thanks and rejoicing while here. We can experience heaven right here with Jesus in our hearts.
If this is the very purpose of Jesus coming as He said it is, then living an abundant life is not only a privilege but also an obligation. If our Lord paid such a high price so that we may live an abundant life, then we are obligated to take it, and not an option.
But, there is one condition to consider. Jesus promised this kind of life only to His flock, the church rather than an individual. Just as the commandment to "always rejoice and give thanks" was given to the church, Jesus promised this abundant life to the church. Of course, we can enjoy such abundant life as an individual, but at the same time, we are called to experience this abundant life with other brothers and sisters with whom we share our lives, that is, the church.
Each member of the church belongs to Christ, but also to one another. (Rom 12:5 NIV) Living Spirit-filled life involves praising together, giving thanks together, and submitting to one another. (Eph 5:18-21)
Just as Spirit-filled life, I believe, the abundant life Jesus promised is experienced as His flock. Jesus Himself promised, "If you keep My commands you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commands and remain in His love." Then He went on to say, "I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is My command: love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:10-12)
This is the command, the voice of the Shepherd, which the flock has to listen and follow. This commandment is also a condition for experiencing His Joy. That is why we need to pray without ceasing to be led by the Shepherd. If we don't make an effort to listen to Him intentionally, we will end up listening to another voice instead, the voice of the thief.
Do you know why? The thief, Satan, as the God of this age, controls this world (I John 5:19). That is why it takes our prayer to listen to the Shepherd's voice continuously. Satan's goal is to prevent the people from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. (2Co 4:4) To those who already saw the light of the gospel, the thief tries to obscure the light of the gospel in their mind.
Jesus commanded us to "love one another just as He has loved us." (John 13:34) He called it the New Commandment. If the gospel is the New Covenant, then the New Commandment was given to enjoy the benefit of the New Covenant fully. I believe our Lord gave the New Commandment as the way to live the New Covenant. This New commandment is the condition for our joy, according to Jesus.
In fact, if we are not in the right relationship with other brothers, we shouldn't give thanks or rejoice. We are called to live and enjoy the abundant life which Jesus promised and for which Jesus died. He did everything possible, most important of which is His death on the cross, for us to have life and abundant life. As we focus on His love demonstrated in His sacrificial death and keeping His New commandment, we will always rejoice and give thanks in whatever circumstances.
