God wills that we would have joy in his presence

One Christian who thought of these verses and realized he was being challenged to start growing spiritually was the great Scottish preacher George Matheson. Matheson had a great affliction in his life. He had been nearly blind from early in his life, and that was a great affliction to him. He realized that he had not complained that much about it. He had done his best. He had many times asked God in prayer to help him overcome it and to compensate, and not allow him to be bitter—that kind of thing. But it dawned on him that the one thing he had never done in that affliction was thank God for it. And here is how he prayed: My God, I have never thanked you for my thorn. I have thanked you a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorn. Lord, would you teach me the glory of my cross? Would you teach me the value of what you are doing through my pain? Show me that my tears have made my rainbows. That is what Paul is talking about—that we not only rejoice in spite of our trials, but seeing the sovereignty of God and the wise grace that he is working in our lives, we say, Lord, I would not have it any other way if this is what you have ordained for me, and I thank you for it. Give me joy and a spirit of prayer.

And Paul notes that these responses to God’s loving presence are the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18). See how urgent it is that we should come to understand that God has not necessarily willed that we would be outwardly happy in this world. We may not be. We may be persecuted. We may be unfairly treated. We may have no money our whole lives. We may struggle in ways that are difficult. We may have health issues, and maybe they are just not going to improve. Maybe it is God’s will that our health issues are not going to get better. Maybe we are going to die early. Maybe we are going to suffer. The whole range of things may well be the will of God, and we need to realize that. What is the will of God for us? That we would have joy in his presence. That we would live with a spirit of prayer. That we would be thankful to our great and saving God. How much better God has done for us! He has given us his Son. The Son has made us his beloved children. He has set before us an open Bible with the light of the Holy Spirit telling us wonderful things. This is the will of God for us.¹

Richard D. Phillips