Living in Christ

by Alyssa Eiden

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 

“I’m so busy!” Have you ever found yourself saying this phrase? I certainly have. It seems that there is always so much to do. For me this looks like prepping things around camp and working full days serving campers. For you it could be studying for midterms, balancing school with a part-time job, spending time with friends and family, going to the gym, attending Bible study and the list goes on. In our fast-paced world, filled with demands, distractions, and challenges, it can be difficult to live within the commands of the Scripture above.  

Think for a moment about how your life relates to this Scripture. I’ll write it again in a different translation for you. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”   

Would you say you are thankful in all circumstances, even the ones that seem less than ideal? When something difficult happens do you respond with joy? When a family member gets sick or when you lose a job, is your first thought prayer? Or are you only filled with these qualities in the moments when life feels easy, is less busy, and appears to be going well for you?   

This Scripture says being joyful, prayerful and thankful is God’s will for us – His desire for those who belong to Christ Jesus. Did you catch that? God wants His people to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all circumstances. That’s a big task, and if you’re a follower of Jesus, it’s not optional. In my relationship with God I’ve learned that I can’t do this on my own, and spoiler alert… neither can you.   

So how do we accomplish this call? This passage says that these qualities are God’s will for us in Christ Jesus. Meaning that continual joy, prayer, and thankfulness are gifts afforded to us by our Savior. When we saturate ourselves with the truth of the Gospel -the good news that Christ died on the cross to save us from our sins, rose from the dead, and offers us eternal life when we believe in Him – we realize how sinful and undeserving we are. The recognition of our unworthiness draws us to the Father in prayer, where we give thanks for His Son’s sacrifice, and live with joy because of our relationship with Him. God transforms our hearts by using our prayers, thanks, and joy in Him. From our transformed heart we have an overflow of these qualities into other areas of our lives.