rejoice always

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16‭-‬18 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/1th.5.16-18.NLT

 Being told to rejoice always, can come in the middle of disaster, grief, loneliness or joy and satisfaction. We would all agree it is easier to rejoice continually when things are going well, not so easy when things are falling apart.

So, when things are bad, how do I rejoice? It depends on what you rejoice in, the happenings or the reality of eternal salvation. We are in advent, the lead up to Christmas. It is a time of remembering the why of joy. For Christians the why is found in salvation from a life of destruction,  into a life of eternal joy, knowing what you have been set free from.

Today I think of Joseph in prison, in Egypt. His family forsook him, sold him as a slave and he is now in prison because of a woman's lies. Potiphar's wife accused Joseph of sexual sin, when she was the one lusting after Joseph. So, Joseph is in prison for something he did not do. 

We can find ourselves caught in unjust situations. The why is God is using hard times for our good. God had plans for Joseph, He has them for us also. We must trust Him with the why. Amen!

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