This life is way too short not to live it in the Joy of Christ. It is way too short not to smile, not to enjoy, not to live in happiness. Does God want us to be happy? Indeed! The word “blessed” in scripture is basically that. He wants us not only to experience joy, which is from His Spirit in us, but also happiness. Dennis Prager wrote a book titled: “Happiness Is A Serious Problem”. Right off the bat he mentions it being a “Moral Obligation”. As believers it’s imperative that we live as Jesus…selfless. That we have to get off of self to be able to bless others in this life. This is the reason for his book, and I see it scream off the page in 1 Thessalonians 5.16 as well. It is a short verse, but impactful none-the-less.
Verse 16 says— “Rejoice evermore.”
“Rejoice” is the word— χαίρετε (chairete). Which is where we get our English word— ‘cheer’. It literally means— ‘leaning towards’ as in a physical sense. Also to be full of cheer, calmly happy, to delight in, glad, to thrive in. Notice it is not used as: rejoicing— because it isn’t the same kind of verb. In this usage, it is a disposition. So it is not necessarily an action. It is a mindset, it is your heart at that moment or in that environment. Speaking of the environment or moment…
The word “evermore”— Πάντοτε (Pantote) literally means— ‘at all times’. In this usage specifically it is— ‘each and every’… day, thing, etc. It is a much more specific usage than simply saying ‘always’.
So the verse says— ‘At all times rejoice’. That would be each and every moment, circumstance, environment. Lean in and rejoice! Before you jump to conclusions about how: ‘I need to get better at this or do better at this’… don’t! This should come from the inside. It is supernatural and therefore cannot be faked or propped up for too long unnaturally. God has to do this. It is written in imperative. Imperatives are commands, but commands in the sense that it is essential for you, as in ‘this must occur’. That doesn’t mean that you have what it takes to do that. It is like forgiveness. How did God forgive us? Through Jesus. It was because, for and in place of something (Ephesians 4.32). Working harder at this one will only frustrate you more. Rejoice’s root is the word ‘Joy’. Joy comes from within by the Spirit remember? It is His fruit and not ours (Galatians 5). We simply bear it, show it, demonstrate it. This is not of our power, but the power within us as believers. This is relational. If you are abiding, close and connected with Jesus, the fruit flows. Maybe we should ask the question: Does your life reflect this? Does this describe you? It is much more descriptive than acted.
Have a question for you to ponder today— How good is God to you, really? One very old book I have, said— “to comment on this diamond drop is to outline a history of the entire Christian experience.” We can accept life and triumph in it through Christ and not without Him. His goodness is unmatched, literally perfect. Some people cannot possibly have a different outlook because they have not been truly saved. They have never tasted the goodness of God (Hebrews 6.4). They will forever struggle because they cannot release this life and its sin-filled anguish to God. Others cannot have this disposition because they haven’t learned to trust God fully. Even though they are saved, they are skeptical. They are cursing themselves to a life unfulfilled because they ‘lean back’ and not ‘in’. The Psalmist said in Psalm 5.11— “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.”Note the correlation here with trusting and being able to rejoice.
We are to make the most of life. The most of each and every circumstance. Ephesians 5.16—“Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” The days are indeed “evil”, in every sense of the word. There is a lot to moan about. So, what are we to do? Redeem it!Buy it back, invest in it, make the most of it. We are to live life— leaning in; predisposed in joy; in each and every moment.
I have every reason to frown, but I also have every reason to smile. I have every reason to complain, but I also have every reason to rejoice. I have more reasons to be full of joy than I do to be full of vinegar—because Jesus is in me. My hope is secure in Him. He is in control, He is almighty, and He is unfailingly good to me. He loves me.
What we are lacking is perspective! Let’s say I have 75 years on this planet as a human. Let’s say I could measure eternity, which you cannot, but let’s say I could. I have 75 versus 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000… you get the idea. If my time is that short, relatively speaking, and I will live with it for those many eons to come, what am I doing with my life now? Way too many are wasting it with foolish worldly pursuits that just simply rob us of our joy and our happiness. Both are affected, yet we keep chasing it.
You are being robbed. Your earthly pursuits are robbing you blind and you can’t even see it. Your ‘woman on the side’ called: ‘the world’ has robbed you of joy. We chase it thinking it will bring us happiness and stability, but in return it takes all of your time, your health, and your heart. Then it leaves you just like you were, but less. Bonus… you are also robbed of the joy you once had.
You have every reason to live this short life, leaning in. Trust the Lord. Remember the definition of “evermore”? It’s ‘at all times’. So we should: smile more, see His goodness, and by all means— share His goodness with others. When? At all times.