Discovery: Paul is very clear what God's will is for all believers. Here in 1 Thessalonians he gives this very challenging three-fold imperative: "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." That is as straight forward as they come.
Application: Alas, the challenge is to actually do something with God's Word...
Are we "joyful always?" This seems like an impossible feat. The only way to do this from a human perspective is to fake it a majority of the time. But Gordon Fee states that, "the emphasis on joy is not so much the experience of joy, but the active expression of it." I read this as "Will I choose to be joyful in my response to people and situations even when it is negative or hard?" My honest response is, "NO!" The only chance I have it responding in joy each and everyday is to start each day with the right perspective. The only way that I have figured out how to do this is to start the day in reading the Word of God and journalling about it.
Are we "praying continually?" This two seems impossible to do on our own. We either have to become monks and nuns or we have to adopt a "new age" approach to prayer in which everything we do is some pseudo-spiritual watered-down version of true biblical prayer. F.F. Bruce states that this verse actually means to "persevere in prayer." It means that regardless of how slow God seems or how insurmountable the odds may be, we are called to diligently and faithfully pray.
Are we "giving thanks in all circumstances?" Paul speaks of giving thanks over 30 times in his writings. Giving thanks was deeply rooted in Paul's theology. He truly believed that everything happened for a reason. He believed that nothing, not even suffering and death, had the final word. The last word was reserved for God and God alone and that word was always resurrection and life. Paul teaches us that giving thanks is rooted in the supremacy and sovereignty of God. This is the only way that I can explain how so many fellow brothers and sisters who suffer through so much can emerge on the other side with a song of praise on their hearts and mouths. Thanksgiving is truly remembering that God is in control.
Prayer: Help me do your will each and everyday. Stretch me me to be joyful. Instill in me a hunger to pray with perseverance. Give me a bigger view of You so that thanksgiving will flow from my life.
