Whenever we speak of Christian joy, we need to carefully differentiate it from the kind of worldly, giddy happiness that is so common around us. Unbelievers are happy when their circumstances are good, and so they do everything—that is what is going on in the world—in this mad pursuit of good circumstances so that we can be happy, we can feel good. That way of thinking is common, but Christian joy is very different. It depends not at all on how things are going in our outward circumstances, but its distinguishing quality is the ability to flourish even in the midst of great afflictions. Paul is writing to a persecuted church. He himself had recently been driven out. Their leaders had been beaten. Some of them, we gather, had probably died for their faith. They are not enjoying good times in that sort of way. And yet Paul unabashedly writes to them and says,
Richard D. PhillipsRejoice always.Well, if pleasant circumstances are not the cause or the source of our joy, what is the source of our rejoicing as believers? Well, first, Christians rejoice in the Father’s gift of his Son to be our Saviour. One of my mottos is that since God has given us his Son, and all that is in him, you and I have every reason to rejoice all the time. You and I have every reason to rejoice. You come to me, or I come to you and say,I am going through a hard time. I have very difficult circumstances. I may have cried myself to sleep that night. You and I may do that.And yet we can say, yet I may rejoice. Why? Because the Father has given to me his Son and all his saving work. No matter what the world or circumstances may bring to me day by day, I have the Son of God, and he is my Saviour.1
16 Rejoice always,