Better Things for Us

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

There was a famous song not so long ago that says “don’t worry, be happy”.  It sounds positive and uplifting. Yet the Word of God instructs us to be more than just happy. Paul tells us to be joyful, prayerful and thankful.

There are three basic things that cannot be missing in a Christian’s life:  JOY, PRAYER and THANKSGIVING.  More than commands, they are an expression of true faith in Jesus Christ.  Only those who know Jesus Christ in a personal way can avail of these privileges.

God does not want us to only be happy.  He wants us to be joyful.
It is the state of the heart that allows us to be contented and strong in any kind of situation.  Sure it is easy to be happy in ‘good times’, yet it takes joy to go through difficult situations. It replaces anxiety and fear.  Joy is a fruit of God’s Spirit in us that enables us to have peace of heart and mind any time. (Galatians 5:;22) Do you have the joy of the Lord?

God does not want us to only believe in Him.  He wants us to trust Him; He wants us to pray to Him.
Our relationship with God requires constant communication through which we can pour out our hearts to God and allow Him to speak to our hearts as well.  Prayer is not just placing our petitions before God; it is a deep desire to be near God being conscious of His sweet presence everywhere and anytime. How much time in the week do you spend in prayer?

God does not want us to be proud in ourselves.  He wants us to be filled with gratitude and thankfulness.
Being thankful means acknowledging whatever goodness or favour we have received and expressing it unashamedly.  We do not thank God for the evil that is happening, but rather we are grateful that God is with us through every situation whether good or bad.  Thankfulness, replaces the critical and complaining attitude that we all have when we are feeling discomfort. It helps us to see the problems as challenges and opportunities that God uses to make us grow and mature both in our personal and spiritual lives.  Do you thank the Lord in every circumstance of your life?

God’s commands are sometimes difficult to follow, yet those who choose to obey them benefits from the blessings. If you notice in the verse mentioned initially, Joy, Prayer and Thankfulness should be part of our life “always…continually…in all circumstances…”. IT is a continuous state of our hearts. Inevitably if we practice them, they will become our lifestyle.

Bro. André Canlas

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Published on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 at 1:43 am under Soul Food. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.