Quiet your mind and hear God Whisper today, "Your joy matters."
"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
It doesn't matter how long or short your walk with the Lord has been, at some point or another, you come to find yourself asking the age old question, "How can I know God's will for my life?"
In the context of these verses, for the person who has put their faith in Christ, knowing God's will for your life becomes a seemingly simple 3 step process:
Step 1.) Be Joyful
Step 2.) Pray Continually
Step 3.) Give Thanks
When looking at it this way, finding God's will for your life shouldn't be that hard. But if you've spent even just a nanosecond in the world we live in today, you know it's not as easy as it sounds.
The weight of this world can leave you feeling pretty joyless. Looking around, it can become so easy to say, "What's the point of praying anyways?" Focus on everything you don't have can make it hard to find a reason to give thanks.
But the truth is, God's will for your life hinges off these three things: A joy that is supplemented by continuous prayer and ends in thanksgiving. This is the recipe for success in God's will, in all circumstances. (Emphasis on the all part.)
Notice that God could've inspired the writer to put down anything He wanted in this letter. But these words do not say anything abysmal about God's will for you. No matter what the world may try to do or say to convince your otherwise, the truth stands.
God's will is for you to be joyful always
He encourages us to pray continuously, which really means to be in communion or conversation with Him, and to give thanks. The funny thing is that it takes continual prayer and thanksgiving to produce joy. When you talk to God, He gives you a reason to be thankful and shows you how to protect your joy!
Just as Psalm 16:11 says, "in your presence there is fullness of joy." Take heart in knowing that you don't have to figure out God's will for your life, you don't have to search and seek for it. All you have to do is sit at His feet, and hear Him tell you today, "Your Joy Matters."
Prayer Excerpt from Hope in the Hopeless: 30 Prayers of Hope + Thanksgiving by Audrey Buchanan
Dear Lord, thank you for life, precious life. There is so much going on that we sometimes forget to give thanks for the things that are the dearest to us, but that are often times overlooked. All the thee little things you bless us with, I think you for today. Help us to slow down and remember how blessed we truly are. Remind us to thank you and praise you always and fill our hearts with joy today. In Jesus' name, amen.
Audrey Buchanan
Author | Writer | Photographer