Healing Line

Healing Line

Rejoice in the Lord Always

by The Rev. Robert J. Kerner
May 1994

"Rejoice in the Lord always." Phil. 4:4. Always? How is that possible? Are Christians always to be happy? That's neither possible nor is it what St. Paul is saying.

How about you? Does joy seem rather distant, right now? Are you undergoing suffering in your life? Are you waiting for God to move some circumstances or people in your life? Are you struggling for victory in a time of testing? So am I. So was St. Paul when he wrote the passage. It would be good for all of us to study just what he said in that Philippians passage.

Basic Principles

To fully understand what Paul meant in this passage, let's start with some underlying principles first. Read Romans 12: 1–3. in that passage Paul exhorts us to offer ourselves as "living sacrifices ... to God." The passage reveals three key principles in attaining joy in life:

  • First principle in gaining joy in our life: surrender yourself and every aspect of your life totally to God and his will for your life.
  • Second principle: " ... reject the pattern and standards of this world."
  • Third principle: "Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is God's good, pleasing, and perfect will."

How do we do that? Be transformed ... renew our mind? We don't. He does. But, we must cooperate.

ln Philippians 4:4–13, Paul tells us how to cooperate with God in this transforming renewal. How to appropriate God's joy and peace — especially when circumstances are not joyous or peaceful. The battleground ls primarily in the mind — thus we need the "renewing of the mind." The secret is in our focus.

in verse 4, Paul makes a strong imperative statement. He commands us to rejoice. No one can command you to have an emotion. We cannot be commanded to be happy. To be happy is an emotion; it is affected, even produced, by circumstances. "Rejoice" is a verb, an action, an act of the will, a decision. It is choosing to place our focus of attention on God, the source of our joy, and off the problem and our feelings.

Even though we do not feel happy, we can choose to find a positive aspect in our lives — something that God is doing or has done for us that is apparent — and focus on that, and decide to celebrate it.

Paul continues in verse 5, "Let your gentleness be evident to all." in other words, no matter how you feel, don't punish everyone else by your grumpiness or sharp tongue( Focusing on the needs of others, caring for them, and being sensitive to their feelings can often get us out of self pity, as well.

"The Lord is near," (v.5) — This Lord who promised to be with us always (Mt. 28:20), and this God who has promised that he will never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5). The name that God revealed to Moses (Ex. 3:14), "Yahweh,"usually translated I AM WHO I AM or I AM THE I AM, is actually the third–person form of the Hebrew verb "to be" and may more accurately mean HE WHO IS. The name does not indicate God's eternal being, but God's action and presence in time and history. The sense is that he is actively and dynamically present with us — to save, rescue, heal, and guide. Truly he is Emmanuel, GOD WITH US.

Though we know this in faith, but there are times when we cannot experience God's presence. This temporary lack of awareness of God's presence is an uncomfortable, but fairly common experience. One of the church's great mystics, St. John of the Cross, wrote about a "Dark Night of the Soul." Often referred to as spiritual dryness, desert times are normal for God's people in their journey of faith. They are times for discipline and growth in faith. God has to teach us that he is there whether we can feel him or not. Though your feelings deny it, he is with you! Rest in him. Trust in his goodwill to save you.

Verse 6 commands us again, "Do not be anxious." Here again, a matter of the will — a decision not to worry. Fear is a normal, healthy feeling and a God–given protective instinct. Worrying is practicing the presence of fear. It is a decision, an action — a sinful action. It is taking hold of fear and inviting It inside to build a nest. Worrying is entertaining fear, mulling it over, running rampant with "what ifs." I know. I'm an expert in it! We must repent of it, and decide each time not to do It. Change our focus, and reject the temptation.

Paul continues in verse 6, " ... but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving (note the focus), present your requests to God. And the peace of God ... ". Present your requests to God ... and leave them there! Let go.

Give up control. Let go and let God. Once I did this symbolically. I took a helium–filled balloon and wrote my heart's desire and request on It, and let It go. Something snapped in me — my line of control over the situation, my attempts to make It happen — and I was free, free to trust, and to receive.

As we release control, we find peace in the midst of our dark night. "And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" (v. 7). He will guard, but again, we need to cooperate by using our wills in decision–making, and by utilizing God–given ways of protection.

Verse 8 continues, "Whatever is true, ... noble, ... right, ... pure, ... lovely, ... admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things." Protect your peace by filling your heart and mind with the good and positive things God commands us to dwell on. Again a matter of focus. We can always find something positive in our lives. Focus on those things. Reject the negative images, faults, failures, lies, accusations, and worries from your mind. This is not just a matter of the "power of positive thinking" or a humanistic or New–Age mind game. This is God's Word! We must use our free will. It is God's great gift. We are not to be sponges, absorbing everything that pops into our minds. And accepting everything as from God. There is much in the world and many ideas and thoughts that are definitely not of God. Reject such things. We have a shut–off valve in our minds! Like a faucet we can reject the flow, or open to it. Use your will. Be discriminating in what you receive into your mind as worthy of acceptance.

in verse 9, Paul exhorts his people to follow what he has said and modeled to them as his disciples in following the Lord. "Do this ... " and the God of peace will be with you. Not only do we need to follow God's revealed teaching, through Paul, for example, but, as I have written above (as a comment on Romans 12: 1) peace comes from our total submission to God's will for us in all situations.

The great poet Dante wrote, "in His will is our peace; It is that towards which all things tend." Psalm 16:5 says: "O Lord, you are my allotted portion and my cup. You It is who holds fast my lot." (NAB). Both of these lines have been formative in my life, since the earliest days of my adult walk with the Lord and my vocation to the priesthood. But it has taken years of painful discipline in waiting on the Lord for me to grasp their full meaning and the power that submission and acceptance of God's will has to release joy and peace into my life when there was little circumstantial basis for happiness or security.

Paul continues in verses 11–12: " ... for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances ... I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation." Well, I haven't! Not yet, but I'm growing in that direction. How about you? We can continue to focus on the Lord in each situation and grow in faith. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," (v. 13). So can you and so can I!

Common Misconceptions

It is very important, in conclusion, to clarify some common and dangerous misconceptions. "Rejoice in the Lord always" does not mean the following:

  • A Christian must always be happy. A "grin and bear it'' Christian is a phony! As I have written above, "happy" is an emotion, a feeling dependent on circumstances. To always be happy is unrealistic and abnormal! Other emotions are just as valid at times. All emotions are of God and are good. Each has its purposes. It is OK for a well–adjusted, "Spirit–filled", mature Christian to grieve, to feel sad, angry, remorseful, afraid, et. al. Don't put on a false front. If you're hurting, be truthful. Own and express your feelings in a healthy way. Share your pain with others, that they may minister to you. And receive that ministry!
  • "Rejoicing in the Lord always does not mean ignoring reality. The Kingdom of God is not yet come in fullness! We are still in a valley of tears. Suffering is a real and normal part of life. So it was with Jesus — "Son though he was, he learned obedience through what he suffered," (Hebrews 5:8). So it is with you and me!
  • Don't ignore danger signs! The Lord has his purposes for allowing suffering; pain alerts us to our needs. Our lives may be in need of redirection and/or healing. We may need to respond to God by changing behavior or by seeking help — through ministry, medical treatment, or therapy.
    All that being said, most of us could experience a lot more victory, joy and peace, in the midst of our trying circumstances, than we do now. We can submit our wills to God, change our focus, and seek God's help, direction, and ministry, regardless of the situations around us. We can appropriate God's salvation daily, in all of its aspects, and rejoice in the Lord always!

The author shares a personal insight: Again, at this time in my life, I am in a time of waiting. I have been without full–time employment for almost a year, and I await God's timing and placement (while I do all I can to seek that placement). For me, submission and acceptance of God's will today ls to accept that for now he wants me to be as I am, and that he has his purposes for me and for others during this "delay" in employment. I may not like God's ways or his timing; but, like Paul in prison, I must submit to them and to His purpose. As I must TRUST in his good will and pleasure for my wife and me, and believe in his favor in our Jives and ministry.


Fr. Bob Kerner is a priest of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida. With his wife, Sandi, he has worked and taught in the healing ministry for several years. May 1994 Issue