Wednesday 9th June

Rejoice – Joy Reloaded 3

Bob Fitts the renowned song writer and worship leader said in one of his songs, “...I will rejoice because I’ve made my choice to rejoice in the Lord”. All of us face the daily “frictions” and if we are not careful, these situations can leave us with “wears and tares”. To avoid this, we must make a decision everyday to rejoice in the Lord.

2 Corinthians 11:24-29 (NLT), 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have travelled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?

We’ll also read Romans 5:3 (NLT), 3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.

One cannot but marvel when we read the things Paul had to endure in his walk with God. Our faith-walk as Christians starts from the spirit and becomes manifested in the physical. Paul had taken time to cultivate his spirit - walk with Jesus so it was easy for him to see from that realm. Paul didn’t see the many challenges he went through as set-backs, he saw them as opportunities for development in the things of God. As he sat in his prison recounting all these experiences, Paul ended up praising God!

Paul was still in prison as he was recollecting and recounting these experiences, yet he was expressing gratitude to God. Some other person would have been bitter and angry, saying “Lord is it not enough, with all I have suffered I’m still in prison. Is it not just better You kill me?” Nothing of such came out of Paul’s mouth but joyful praise. We sing the song “Count your blessings…and it will surprise what the Lord has done.” Paul literally counted his problems, he recollected difficult moments and he could still see how much the Lord had done for him.

Paul understood the mystery of rejoicing and it was evident in how he handled difficult situations.

God bless you. Enjoy your day