Philippians 4:4: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, “Rejoice!”
To have the joy commanded by the Holy Spirit in this verse, we must be grateful. Throughout his letter to the Philippians, Paul expressed gratefulness and joy for the church at Philippi (Phil. 1:3), the preaching of the Gospel (Phil. 1:18), the chance to serve (Phil. 2:17-18), and the benevolence of brethren (Phil. 4:10). The inspired apostle “counted his blessings,” causing him to have gratitude that far outweighed his grief over difficult circumstances. He encouraged the Philippians, and would encourage us, to likewise “count our blessings,” considering gifts such as:
God’s Word: God has given us “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3) and made “known to us the mystery of His will” (Eph. 1:9a). God’s Word proves it is from Him and gives evidence that Jesus is the Messiah (2 Pet. 1:16-21). It is full of truthful, honest, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, and praiseworthy things (Phil. 4:8). It is our access to the “wisdom that is from above” (Jas. 3:17), and the guide to eternal life (John 6:68).
Jesus: God’s Word reveals His plan to redeem mankind from sin through Jesus (Rom. 5:7-8). No matter how many times we consider Jesus, He is no less remarkable. Are we grateful to God for the love, grace, and mercy He demonstrated by giving us His Son?
Forgiveness: The gift of Jesus allows forgiveness of sins for those who trust and obey Him. The Jews Peter preached to in Acts 2 had crucified the Messiah, yet were told it was possible for their sins to be forgiven (Acts 2:38). Saul was a persecutor of Christians, yet was told that if he submitted to God’s terms, his sins could be washed away (Acts 22:16). These individuals did not deserve God’s forgiveness, and neither do we. Are we grateful to Him for offering forgiveness anyway?
Prayer: Forgiveness for erring Christians comes through repentance and prayer (Acts 8:22). Prayer also gives us the chance to ask for divine help in our lives. It is amazing that God cares for us and wants us to ask for His help in meeting our needs (1 Pet. 5:7).
Peace, Assurance, and Hope: Faithful prayer leads to “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Phil. 4:7). If we are obedient to God, we can have assurance of eternal life (1 John 5:13). This assurance produces hope, which is the anchor of the Christian’s soul (Heb. 6:19). How wonderful is it to have the peace, assurance, and hope available in Christ.
Worship: Those full of assurance and hope are led to worship God constantly. Worship is an expression of gratitude, but it is also something to be grateful for itself. David said, “I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” (Ps. 122:1). Are we as thankful as David for the chance to worship God?
Opportunities for Good: Great joy should come to the Christian when we have chances to please God by doing good. Opportunities for good works are numerous. “The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Matt. 9:37) is a saying that applies not only to evangelizing the lost, but also to many other good works. Are we thankful for opportunities to do good?
Christ’s Church: Christ’s laborers are a part of His body (1 Cor. 12:27), which is made up of all who have chosen to put on Christ and are thereby chosen by God to be His adopted children (Eph. 1:4-5). Are we grateful to be a part of this body that was built by Christ and perfectly designed by its builder (Matt. 16:18)?
These are just a few of the blessings offered by God to those who trust and obey Him. May we choose to accept these blessings and be grateful for them. May we all “rejoice in the Lord always” and “Give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good” (Ps. 106:1).
– Michael Hickox