Always and All

“Be joyful always; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, NIV 1984).

My Musings – Say what?  Joyful always?  Thankful in all circumstances?” This is God’s will for those who are in Christ Jesus?  Really?  Yes, but be careful that you are not reading into it what it does not say.

It doesn’t say be happyalways –  Happiness is more often than not dependent upon circumstances.  And there will be things that happen in our lives that we will not be happy about.  Joy, on the other hand, is not dependent upon circumstances. It can be maintained even when negative things occur in our lives.

It doesn’t say give thanks for all circumstances – Suffering, loss and pain are among the things that we would rarely, if ever, be thankful for.  But we can still be…