How to Rejoice in the Lord Always

As the third Sunday of Advent approaches, we turn our focus to the spiritual discipline of joy. One Bible commentator refers to joy as a Christian duty, but I like the word discipline better. Churches everywhere will light the joy candle this week, reminding us of the great joy that the good news of Jesus’s birth brings us during the Christmas season.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

 (Philippians 4:4 NIV)

I used to feel like a failure whenever I read this verse, so I quickly skipped it.  I envisioned a continuous stream of joy pouring from my heart. I wanted it, yet I couldn’t manage it. That’s for the better Christians, I’d think.

Who experiences joy nonstop? Some days we’re low, in a bleak place. We may not be excited about what a particular day holds. Sometimes, life is just plain hard, if not a downright fight.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

As God matured my faith through Bible study, sermons, and other Christians, I came to see this verse in a new light. You’ve likely learned that when Scripture emphasizes a word or phrase, we should pay attention. This verse both begins and ends with the word Rejoice. What’s more, several versions of the Bible end this verse with an exclamation point.

And when we dissect the word rejoice, we discover the prefix “re” signifies a “return to joy.” Other inferences include "back; back to the original place; again; anew; once more."

When Paul penned this letter to the church of Philippi, he was in a dark prison—less than ideal circumstances. He stressed the necessity to return to joy. He knew we would struggle to maintain joy and would need reminders. We must intentionally seek joy each passing day.

Another important word in the Scripture is always, meaning "never ceasing, never giving up." An additional idea worth noting is the phrase “in the Lord.” Paul’s joy was not coming from his circumstances but from his right relationship with God.

Rejoicing in the Lord doesn’t always come naturally to us. It’s not the temporary joy we experience when our football team wins or our kid makes the honor roll. It’s a choice. A choice we return to again and again.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Joy in the Lord is not circumstantial. It is not seasonal. It is spiritual. Rejoicing in God always, even during tough times, deepens our faith. When we place our trust firmly in Him, we cultivate a posture of joy by remembering how often God has supplied, no make that surpassed, our needs in the past. He renews our joy, again and again.

Click and listen. This lovely Christmas carol will slow your heart rate and heighten your joy.

“Good Christian Friends Rejoice”

Thanks for reading! Wishing you and your loved ones a day-by-day return to joy in the Lord.

Immersed in His Love,