1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing,18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
The series of short exhortations continues in these verses with three essential practices for all Christians. First, it is not easy to rejoice always. We like to rejoice when things are going well, but how about when the going is tough? Paul writes this letter to a church that was experiencing an increasing amount of persecution. He was not challenging them to try harder in these verses but to let their joy overflow and not be stopped by any situation. Rejoicing in any situation cannot be done by only human effort, willpower, or emotions but with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. However, that does not mean that we are passive in rejoicing or that joy comes accidentally or arbitrarily. We must do our part by 1) deciding to seek God and God’s kingdom first and not let worry encroach on us (Matthew 6:33-34), 2) having the mindset of Jesus Christ who found joy in suffering (Hebrews 12:2), and 3) as an act of faith, choose joy and not complaining.
Second, non-stop prayer is a difficult concept to consider. We will run into problems with this command if we think of prayer in the traditional way of praying with our eyes closed and heads bowed. Paul is not directing the Thessalonians to walk around with their eyes closed because they are praying. Prayer is basically conversation with God where we expressed our thoughts and listen to God’s response. We can practice “whisper prayers” where we say or speak small ideas or phrases. Our prayers do not even need to be in formed words but can be thoughts and emotions. If we have an content sense of God’s presence with us, this will keep us from doing certain wrong actions and help us live in holiness and love.
Third, we are to give thanks in all situations. This can also be a challenge if we face difficulties, trials, or persecutions. Thanksgiving acknowledges the sovereignty of God and God’s place as number one in our lives. That may be why Paul connects thanksgiving to God’s will. Paul already told the Thessalonians that it is God’s will for us to be holy (4:3). Holiness and thanksgiving go together. Thanksgiving is the open door to the holy life because it requires that we set aside our pride and let God take the credit.
These qualities are all related to one another. The glue that brings them all together is Christ Jesus. It is through Christ that we can have a joy that the world cannot take away. We pray in Jesus’ name and to his glory. We can give thanks because of what he has done on the cross for us. To be in Christ Jesus means that we have given our lives totally to his lordship and control. When we are in that place of full sanctification, we will find that our hearts are full of joy, that our lives are living prayers, and that our thanksgiving overflows into every aspect of our lives.
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