“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” – Philippians 4:4 NIV
How many of us can say we’d still be active and fruitful in the very place that’s meant to limit us, or keep us bound?
The letters to Philippi were written while Paul was in prison, but that didn’t stop his exuberant spirit or taint his desire to spread the Gospel. He still saw life from the viewpoint of “joy” and “hope” even in the midst of personally suffering.
That had me thinking: as we navigate seasons of hardship or suffering, and when the environment God places us in doesn’t look favorable… what’s our posture?
Are we still able to rejoice, serve, spread the Gospel, and operate from a place of hope, faith, and joy? Or do we allow our circumstances and environment to dictate our outlook and response?
So, I have two questions for you:
I can speak for myself and say I’ve had times where my environment hasn’t looked like a place Gods hand was on. In those moments my first response wasn’t ALWAYS joy, yet alone still being a faithful servant. However, as I’ve continued to grow and mature, I have learned the power of perspective.
Paul was able to see beyond what he could see. His sight wasn’t fixated on the prison but the Gospel. That’s one reason why I believe the reminder in this passage is so powerful. Philippians 4:4 says to rejoice IN THE LORD always”, because our rejoicing is optional.
This passage reminds us that life will put us in situations that require us to choose joy. Not because things look good, feel good, or are going well, but because God is good, and we can always find joy in Him.