Everyone knows this verse. Everyone quotes its. However, the big question is: Does everyone live it?
Most likely not, we are too wrapped up in ourselves. When bad things, bad news, trials happen we too often ask what's wrong instead of focusing on what's right.
We do not see the Hand of God working and as humans we are a show-me type. We need tangible proof and too often when we don't get it we fall on the whole 'why me' thing. God, as I have said many times, doesn't always do things in a way we understand or see. It is a long term view for Him whilst we have a short-term immediacy. We have a need to be validated. He has no such compunction.
He is the Author and Creator of this Universe. If things don't go the way we expect or think is best, perhaps it is because He is telling us to wait on Him. Or He is telling us that the direction we are searching is the wrong one. Or even that the things we think we need are not the right ones for us.
Philippians 4:4-6KJV
4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
We can rejoice in the Lord always. We have salvation, we have a home in Heaven, we have a God that we can talk to who is never too busy or sleeping, or on vacation. That in and of itself should lead us to rejoice. God does not filter His calls through an answering machine. We do not get the do not disturb sign when we go to talk with Him. God is always listening, waiting for us.
Too often though we get despondent, despair, self-loathing creeps in because we do not know or understand what is going on. Instead of rejoicing and praising Him we feel forsaken. Too often God is blamed, doubted, even thrown aside because we lack the faith and the vision to wait and see.
The word 'moderation' in verse 5 means even handedness. Do not go from extreme to extreme but to be complacent and show an even temper, exhibit a steady testimony at all times. We have an eternity before us. Look at things in the bigger picture not the heat of the moment. God wants us to wait on Him. We can not see His hand working. We do not see things in Eons and ages as He does. We see them in days, weeks, months, years, and decades. God may be working a work in you that will take some time to complete. He may be working patience in you, He may be testing your faith, He may be creating the perfect situation for you. Wait on the Lord and Rejoice that He is on your side and working on your behalf.
When the situation turns against you, when the prospective employer says no, when the one thing you had to have is denied you turn to God and say thanks. That may not have been right for you and God was protecting you from a bad situation. It may have been enticing to you but God sees things from a much higher vantage point and knows what is best. We have to trust in Him, He is a good and gracious God after all. He gave us all we have, He gives us what we need, He gave us His Son to pay the price of our sins, He gave us Eternity to live with Him. Surely we can trust Him in our day to day?
When we pray we need to thank Him for the little things, for all of the Big things in life are made of the little ones.
Getting out of bed
Praise God and thank Him for another day to further His Will
Get dressed
Morning coffee
Hot shower
Start the car
Go to work.
All of these simple steps comprise a much bigger picture. When you stop and break down each and every little thing you see a whole lot of details. The simple things I just listed are what many of us do before a day of work. Do we stop and Thank God for these things? or do we consider them a right?
None of the things we consider an inconsequential actually are. They are big things in their own right.
Do we stop to thank God For the safe passage to work, for the coffee, for the clothes, for the car starting?
Or do we only bring it to His attention when they do not work? When there is no coffee? When the clothes ruin? When the car doesn't start or the tire goes flat?
You may want to do what I just did and break it down to an itemized list of all the things you do in every minute of every hour and see the little details we take for granted. God has blessed us beyond belief. Do we rejoice in those things? or do we take them for granted? Do we treat them as a right instead of a privilege from God?
Rejoice in the Lord. Even in trials, weather, traffic, sickness, even in death. For He is our God. All the trials of this earth are of no moment in the grand scope. Our short time on earth really doesn't compare with our time in ETERNITY. A day with the Lord is as a thousand years. Even though a day on this earth sometime feels like a thousand years it is actually only a day. God has no timetable that we are cognizant of. His timing is always perfect.
So even when you do not feel like it Rejoice.
When the darkness falls Rejoice.
When you are completely lost in lack of understanding Rejoice.
No matter what happens on this earth He is God. All is in His Hands, Rest there and Rejoice.
Most likely not, we are too wrapped up in ourselves. When bad things, bad news, trials happen we too often ask what's wrong instead of focusing on what's right.
We do not see the Hand of God working and as humans we are a show-me type. We need tangible proof and too often when we don't get it we fall on the whole 'why me' thing. God, as I have said many times, doesn't always do things in a way we understand or see. It is a long term view for Him whilst we have a short-term immediacy. We have a need to be validated. He has no such compunction.
He is the Author and Creator of this Universe. If things don't go the way we expect or think is best, perhaps it is because He is telling us to wait on Him. Or He is telling us that the direction we are searching is the wrong one. Or even that the things we think we need are not the right ones for us.
Philippians 4:4-6KJV
4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
We can rejoice in the Lord always. We have salvation, we have a home in Heaven, we have a God that we can talk to who is never too busy or sleeping, or on vacation. That in and of itself should lead us to rejoice. God does not filter His calls through an answering machine. We do not get the do not disturb sign when we go to talk with Him. God is always listening, waiting for us.
Too often though we get despondent, despair, self-loathing creeps in because we do not know or understand what is going on. Instead of rejoicing and praising Him we feel forsaken. Too often God is blamed, doubted, even thrown aside because we lack the faith and the vision to wait and see.
The word 'moderation' in verse 5 means even handedness. Do not go from extreme to extreme but to be complacent and show an even temper, exhibit a steady testimony at all times. We have an eternity before us. Look at things in the bigger picture not the heat of the moment. God wants us to wait on Him. We can not see His hand working. We do not see things in Eons and ages as He does. We see them in days, weeks, months, years, and decades. God may be working a work in you that will take some time to complete. He may be working patience in you, He may be testing your faith, He may be creating the perfect situation for you. Wait on the Lord and Rejoice that He is on your side and working on your behalf.
When the situation turns against you, when the prospective employer says no, when the one thing you had to have is denied you turn to God and say thanks. That may not have been right for you and God was protecting you from a bad situation. It may have been enticing to you but God sees things from a much higher vantage point and knows what is best. We have to trust in Him, He is a good and gracious God after all. He gave us all we have, He gives us what we need, He gave us His Son to pay the price of our sins, He gave us Eternity to live with Him. Surely we can trust Him in our day to day?
When we pray we need to thank Him for the little things, for all of the Big things in life are made of the little ones.
Getting out of bed
Praise God and thank Him for another day to further His Will
Get dressed
Morning coffee
Hot shower
Start the car
Go to work.
All of these simple steps comprise a much bigger picture. When you stop and break down each and every little thing you see a whole lot of details. The simple things I just listed are what many of us do before a day of work. Do we stop and Thank God for these things? or do we consider them a right?
None of the things we consider an inconsequential actually are. They are big things in their own right.
Do we stop to thank God For the safe passage to work, for the coffee, for the clothes, for the car starting?
Or do we only bring it to His attention when they do not work? When there is no coffee? When the clothes ruin? When the car doesn't start or the tire goes flat?
You may want to do what I just did and break it down to an itemized list of all the things you do in every minute of every hour and see the little details we take for granted. God has blessed us beyond belief. Do we rejoice in those things? or do we take them for granted? Do we treat them as a right instead of a privilege from God?
Rejoice in the Lord. Even in trials, weather, traffic, sickness, even in death. For He is our God. All the trials of this earth are of no moment in the grand scope. Our short time on earth really doesn't compare with our time in ETERNITY. A day with the Lord is as a thousand years. Even though a day on this earth sometime feels like a thousand years it is actually only a day. God has no timetable that we are cognizant of. His timing is always perfect.
So even when you do not feel like it Rejoice.
When the darkness falls Rejoice.
When you are completely lost in lack of understanding Rejoice.
No matter what happens on this earth He is God. All is in His Hands, Rest there and Rejoice.
2 Peter 3:8-9 King James Version (KJV)
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
God's plan - We are a part of it but not the center of it. Rejoice that we are blessed to be in it, A part of it. God's plan is for humanity as a whole. We are truly blessed to be counted among the ones God listens too. Among the billions and Billions of people through out the age of this earth, God talks to US, the born again believers.
Rejoice that you have God the Creator, The Lord God Jehovah as your Heavenly Father. While we slog through the mire of this life we have a Heavenly Father walking beside us who looks out for us.
REJOICE.
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