Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (ESV). We love the idea of rejoicing in the Lord, but the word “always” can trip us up. How can we rejoice in the Lord all of the time, in all circumstances? The answer comes two verses later: “do not be anxious 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” (Philippians 4:6-7, ESV).
This command to rejoice isn’t just a nice suggestion, but a real command for how we are to live. And this doesn’t mean that we ignore our pain, minimize our suffering, stuff our negative emotions, and don a fake smile. It’s when we face our suffering head on that we fall to our knees in prayer. To pray is to surrender yourself and your circumstances to the God who is in control of it all.
No matter if you’re in the best season of your life or the darkest, constant communion with God plants his peace that surpasses understanding in our hearts and minds so that we can be ready when suffering threatens to sweep us out to sea.
Reflection/Discussion Question: What is one time of day you can start to implement consistent prayer?
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