Spiritual Lessons
Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19
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When spiritual directives such as Paul gives us here confront us—always be joyful, always be thankful no matter what happens—our natural response is, “That’s impossible!” We tend to feel inadequate and unable to please God. How can we rejoice in tragedy, pray when we are otherwise occupied, or be thankful in times of adversity? The key is in Paul’s next words: “Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.”
The purpose of our existence is not simply to be “good” people. God has laid hold of and redeemed us for the purpose of forming us into his likeness as we walk through the experiences of this life with him. We are to become a dwelling place for his Spirit. Our challenge is learning to let him do the impossible through us! He is using everything in our lives to teach us that apart from him we can do nothing but through his Spirit we can do all things, even rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything.
Prayers:
LORD, help me to understand that you are truly causing all things to work together for my good this very day. I want to be obedient to what your Word asks of me. I cannot do this on my own. But in your Spirit’s power, I can do what you tell me to do. May you be my joy, and enable me to be aware of your presence with me continually in Jesus Name.
Quotes:
PRAY AND NEVER FAINT, IS THE MOTTO CHRIST GIVES US FOR PRAYING. IT IS THE TEST OF OUR FAITH, AND THE MORE SEVERE THE TRIAL AND THE LONGER THE WAITING, THE MORE GLORIOUS THE RESULTS.
E. M. Bounds (1835–1913)
The One Year Bible Readings for today are: Jeremiah 19:1–21:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-28; Psalm 82:1-8 and Proverbs 25:9-10.
