Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4
Life has its challenges along with its ups and downs. Even within a single day, it can seem like a roller-coaster ride with all of its twists and turns and finally making it up to a peak only to find that the way down is a lot faster and more easily accomplished than the way up! Then, just when you think the ride is over, there you go again.
All of these variations from one minute to the next can be the result of circumstances in your life or the life of others you care about or they could just be the result of the condition of the world in which you live. So many variables and most of them outside of your control.
Even the weather has a way of changing suddenly, sometimes even seeming to reflect or maybe set the mood of the moment. A day may start off cloudy and gloomy only to have the sun break through in all of its brilliance. Then again, you may have a sunny day that includes some rain. Let’s not forget those times of thunder and lightning when it feels as if you are being shaken to your core by the mighty claps of thunder all around.
Some nights can seem so long, it is as if they will never end, and then the first hints of morning begin to show themselves and the curtain of darkness is pushed back as, once again a new day dawns and brings a fresh round of surprises and changes and challenges.
With so much uncertainty, it can be quite a feat at times to find solid ground to keep your footing steady day by day. Quite a feat, yes, but certainly within reach. The answer is in our verse today — rejoice in the Lord. But that is sometimes easier said than done. Sure, when you are up on top of the mountain and everything is going your way, you are filled with rejoicing. But it is just as important (maybe sometimes even more so) to be able to rejoice in the Lord when you are in the lowest valley.
To rejoice means to be filled with cheer, to be cheerful, to be happy on a deeper level than just emotions. Your life and situation will, at times, lend itself to being happy and cheerful but there will be other times when just the opposite is true; there is nothing happening at the moment that would cause such positive emotions.
A happy, cheerful heart is good medicine for both your body and soul and the good news is, you not only can have that kind of a life, you are called to live like that. Rejoice in the Lord always. It is not the emotional result of things going your way, it is the constant reality of the goodness of God in your life. On the mountain peak, God is good, but He’s just as good in the lowest valley. In the brightness of a sun-shiny day, God is good, but He’s just as good when the night is long and dark. He never changes and He is always with you so, you always have the reason and the means to rejoice — the Lord.
This is so important it bears repeating, for it can easily be forgotten, again I say, rejoice in the Lord. If you find yourself responding to life on an emotional level, dig deeper to the bedrock of your faith and rejoice in the Lord. Always. Rejoice in the Lord!
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