1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I’ve always focused on the word everything in this verse. It was my way of dealing with bad experiences. I thought if bad things happened to me, then it was God’s will. I was wrong.

Here is God’s will for us; to be joyous, to pray, to be thankful. God does not will bad things to happen to His people. We do however have to suffer the consequences of our choices in life. It is not God’s fault if we did not seek His counsel before making those choices.

Some of the bad stuff happens because we are human, frail, and time has its way with us. That isn’t God’s will for us either. His will is for us to remain joyous, prayerful and thankful despite the circumstances. The way we respond to adversity marks us as being His.

Life has scarred me. Not as bad as others I grant you, but I haven’t escaped this life without some wounds. My joy is that I have not gone through them alone. He has been with me through it all. I pray because I can. I am thankful and give Him praise because He is worthy.

My takeaway here is this. It isn’t God’s will that bad things happen to you. It is His will that those things do not lessen the love He has placed in you.

Psalm 32:11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

I stood in front of the audience shaking in my boots. I was afraid of forgetting my lines. I was afraid I would forget where to make this or that gesture. I was afraid to the audience. Then I won the speaking competition.

I stood on the mound facing the best hitter in the league. My catcher flashed me the sign for a fastball low and outside. I shook it off. As he flashed signs for all my standard pitches, I shook them all off. A look of concern came across his face as he gave me the sign for my newest pitch, one I had never thrown to any batter. It was my three quarter arm, hanging curve slider. I delivered the pitch, the well trained batter saw the hanging curve and committed to the swing. Then the slider turned over, changed directions, and the bottom fell out. He missed the pitch by a foot, as he did the next two. We won the game.

The results for both experiences was the same, a win. I was equally prepared for both. I executed perfectly in both. Winning in the speech competition was relief. Winning the ball game was joyous. In the speech competition I was facing my fears. In the ball game I was doing what I loved.

Walking with Christ can be like those experiences. Sometimes you have to face your fears and overcome them. Sometimes you get to do what you love.

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ESV

Anxiety can steal your joy. Christ abides in you and you abide in Christ. There is no need to be anxious about anything.

1 John 4:18ab There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment.

Walking with Christ is a love walk. Be joyful.