Choosing Joy!

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)

Our capacity to choose joy, gratitude and prayer liberates us from the prison of discouragement and despair. We cannot always control what happens to us, but we don’t have to be controlled by those circumstances. God uses all our circumstances to grow us in faith. In his closing remarks to the Thessalonian church, Paul gives a rapid-fire charge that can transform our lives in any circumstance. He writes, “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT) Did you catch how he concludes with “for this is God’s will for you….” How often have you asked yourself, “What is God’s will for my life?” It’s not always a mystery, is it? God’s will is for us to choose joy, choose gratitude and choose prayer. Each of these are stressed with an unceasing attitude. How is that possible?

I love the way The Passion Translation explains this charge for Christ followers like you and me. It says, “Make your life a prayer.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (TPT) The unceasing nature of joy, gratitude and prayer is a lifestyle only possible when our lives have been inhabited by the indwelling life of the Lord Jesus, teaching our minds, controlling our emotions, and directing our wills to align with His purpose and plan. The emphasis is no longer on our effort to be happy or be thankful but through the constant practice of the presence of God, His Spirit enables us by the life of His Son living within us! Jesus said, “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with My joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!” John 15:11 (NLT) When we are filled with His joy, our joy overflows!

We live this lifestyle through prayer. “Pray without ceasing.” That doesn’t mean spending all our time on our knees but learning to practice the presence of God with an attitude that acknowledges our dependence on God, affirming His presence within us, and choosing to obey His will for us. I like to call this “spiritual breathing.” We exhale our confessions, petitions or requests with frequent, spontaneous, short prayers and inhale the fresh wind of God’s Spirit affirming with our spirit that we are His children, under His care and control. Making your life a prayer involves both this unceasing attitude of prayer as well as regular times of prayer you set aside. Jesus set aside regular times of prayer, often early in the mornings or late at night, but He also maintained a constant conversational communion with the Father in all things.

Another aspect of unceasing prayer is persistence. Have you ever grown tired of praying for something or someone and felt like giving up? Paul says, “Never stop praying.” Theologians call this shameless persistence in prayer, importunity. It never quits. That kind of persistence is an expression of faith that God answers prayer. Faith shouldn’t die if the answers don’t come quickly. Jesus taught us to ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking. When you’re tempted to give up, remember that God is present, always listening and always answering in His time, in ways that He knows is best for us.

When life is hard, just keep breathing. Practice spiritual breathing for a while and learn to make your life a prayer! God will fill it with joy and gratitude as you do!

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To read this devotional online or catch up on past ones, visit kerryshook.org/blog.

As you continue your quiet time, prayer is a powerful way to stay connected to God and the family of Christ. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board offers a simple space to lift others in prayer and let them know you are standing with them. You can also share your own request and receive prayer support whenever you need it.

Another way to bless others is through giving. This season, we’re celebrating how God is moving in the next generation by placing a Bible in the hands of every student connected to Kerry Shook Ministries. If you’d like to learn more, you can visit: Be Part of Growing Faith That Endures.