Rejoice!

"Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!"   Phillippians 4:4

I can't get this out of my head so it's going on post first.  I hope your morning has been blessed and your coffee is just right.  I prayed this morning for God to give me a word to carry with me today and this is the one.  I have come across the verse 3 times in the last week and I don't believe in coincidence so I am sharing it with you.  By itself, this verse is powerful as it calls us to be able to rejoice in the Lord always, not just on Sunday mornings, or when our bubble feels just right.  It says always.  That's not so easy some days.  We all face things that make us want to do the opposite of rejoice. Sometimes we want to wallow in self-pity, anger and resentment which is so much easier than choosing to rejoice in the Lord.   The next few verses add to the beauty and power of verse 4. 

Verses 5-7:  "Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". 

When the storms of life come, and they will, go straight to God with them.  The key is to go to him with a thankful heart.  He is not a drive-thru service where you present your requests and out they come with straws and napkins.  The answer may be "Yes, No or Later".  Sometimes it takes me a few minutes when I go to him in prayer to peel off the layers of this world and my hectic schedule to truly be still before him.  When I do this it allows me to recall countless things to be thankful for, first and foremost the sacrifice Jesus made for me so I can choose the gift of eternal life.   When that peace of God fills me, everything changes back to focusing on him and not the worries of the world.  I can rejoice in the Lord always because he is always there.  There is nothing too big for my God. 

I pray that you can find a quiet time to spend with God this week. 


In Him,


Sara