Rejoice Always!
by Jeremy A. Brown
Many of us have been on this earth long enough to know things aren’t always easy-breezy. Some things we set our hands to happen with barely any effort, and other things drag us through the mud. No human being takes pleasure in the trials and tribulations that come with this physical life. In many cases those trials and tribulations can wear down our spirit if we aren’t careful. The Bible tells us how to handle these trials and tribulations when they come our way.
The Bible tells us that we will not avoid trials and sufferings in this physical life. Instead it tells us that we will deal with “various” trials and that we should count it all joy when our faith is tested (James 1:2-4). This is not what men teach us to do when we face life’s perils. Man’s world teaches us to sulk over our wounds and allow our spirit to completely become downtrodden, possibly leading to a deep depression or even drugs to escape those trials and sufferings.
As of 2019 per the Addiction Center, more than 21 million Americans have at least one type of substance abuse addiction. The Bible tells us that the trials and sufferings in this world lead to endurance (Romans 5:3-5). It’s similar to running. Most of us don’t have a natural endurance to just run a half-marathon without some form of training. It takes constant suffering mile after mile and week after week of training to build the endurance a half-marathon requires. Just as training for a half-marathon builds our endurance, the sufferings in this human life increase our endurance for the various trials and tribulations this human life brings.
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS!
We really can’t appreciate joy if we haven’t experienced pain, and we can’t appreciate good if we haven’t experienced bad. God states He’s here with us throughout our afflictions (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). This doesn’t mean we will always get what we desire. However, know that we are not alone, even when our fellow human beings abandon us. God is always here to see us through, no matter the circumstance or end result of the trials we suffer as long as we go to Him with sincerity and truth in prayer (Romans 12:12). Isaiah 53:5 states, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (ASV). Lastly, we should rejoice because our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ came and suffered, so He knows what we’re going through (1 Peter 4:13). It’s easier said than done, but we have to remember we have God on our side.
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS (Philippians 4:4).