First, we are to rejoice always. I do not believe Paul means by this to just put on a happy face. Nor do I believe that he is annulling the lament psalms as appropriate for Christians. But all things being equal, Paul is saying that we should be glad in Christ. We should be, in general, a cheerful, hopeful bunch, rejoicing in life. And this is our default response to life because of the truths of the gospel.
Let’s not pull this verse out of context. Solomon warns us in Proverbs 25 that we are not to “sing songs to a troubled heart.” No, we weep with those who weep. But we also apply wisdom to every situation.
In Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country, the pastor Kumalo has experienced hardship after hardship and grief beyond what most of us know. A fellow pastor has been by his side the whole way with comfort and encouragement and support. But on a particular day, Kumalo has just been sitting and stewing and spiraling further and further into hopelessness. And his friend says to him, “I hesitate to speak to you.”
Kumalo responds, “You have a right to speak. More right than any.”
His friend responds, “Then I say that it is time to turn. This is madness, that is bad enough. But it is also sin, which is worse.”
Kumalo bowed his head. You are right. I must sit here no longer. And then his friend points him to beauty and truth and there is a gladness—despite the pain and sorrow—that strengthens him for the next leg of his journey.
The good news of the gospel call us into a place of gladness precisely because the difficulties of this life, the sadness of this life, the strains and stresses of this life are both temporary and are working in us for our sanctification.
Think about the apostles’ response to being beaten at the end of Acts 5: they went away from the council rejoicing that they were considered worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus. And so we can say with the psalmist in one breath things like “How long, O Lord,” but also say, “Yet I will praise you.” The call to rejoice is a call to trust.
Second, we are to pray without ceasing. Paul does not mean that we never leave our prayer closet or go off into the wilderness and shun society, but he seems to be aiming toward a continual attitude of dependence upon the only one who can actually affect our circumstances. But I think this is also a call to persevere in prayer. Don’t despair at the seeming slowness of God. Keep at it. Don’t surrender your right and privilege to come before the Father. Again, the call to prayer is a call to trust.
Third, we are to give thanks in everything. Let’s not misread this. It’s not give thanks for everything, but give thanks in everything. Never lose your gratitude to God for life and salvation. Never fail to recognize God’s goodness; remember that indeed he does work all things for good. So again, I’m not necessarily thankful for all things, but I am thankful to God in all things because it is God who will see me through all things. So that’s the starting point of our response before God. We could couch these three commands as a call to gladness, dependence, and gratitude.
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