Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice (Philippians 4:4).
Nobody likes pain.
Nobody likes seeing their children suffer. Nobody likes financial hardship. We don’t have to like what’s happening to us.
But we are to rejoice in all things.
We don’t have to like affliction, but we can rejoice in midst of it because of what we know. We know that God causes all things to work together for our good, and that good is to be transformed into the likeness of his Son.
Our hearts constantly interpret what is happening to us. When something bad happens we can interpret it as God has forgotten about us or doesn’t care about us. Or we can interpret it as something God is doing to make us like Christ. We can interpret our trials as meaningless hardships or as God’s loving hand working something in us that will bring us joy for all eternity.
What matters most is not whether we like what is happening to us but what we believe about God in our situation. Do we believe God is in control of all things, all-wise, infinitely good and loving? If we believe these things we can rejoice in our pain even though we don’t like it.
Last December a stress test revealed I had some blockage in my heart and I had to get a catheterization and a stent.
I didn’t like it.
I didn’t like having to get up at 5a.m. and drive an hour to the hospital in Pittsburgh. I didn’t like getting poked and jabbed and having blood drawn several times. And I really didn’t like having to adorn myself with a hospital gown. I didn’t like lying on the gurney. Didn’t like being cut open. And the worst part of it all was having to lie on my back with a screaming headache without moving or lifting my head for four hours after my surgery. But I was glad for the doctors, nurses, medical technology, surgery and discomfort because I knew it in the long run it would hopefully prevent a heart attack and give me a longer life.
You don’t have to like what’s happening to you. You don’t have to like being single or lonely. You don’t have to like not having a job. You don’t have to like not knowing what you’re going to do in life. You don’t have to like your sickness. But you can still rejoice and be glad that God is using it for his glory in your life.
We don’t have to like pain but we can praise God in the midst of it.
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Thanks to Kay McCoy for the idea for this post.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
thanks mark. sometimes we all need reminded that god has a much bigger plan for us. sometimes it is hard to fathom !!!!
Yep Doug, I think that we\’re all going to be amazed at the vastness of God\’s plan when we see it someday.
Mark, thank you so much for this post; what a great reminder to me this morning.
God bless you and your family.
You\’re welcome, Vickie, hope you and your family have a great Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much for the post..Such an encouragement
Will get a printout for my dad too 
I\’m grateful it encouraged you, Caroline. Thanks for letting me know!
This is so good! I lead a young ladies prayer group and we were discussing this very thing Monday night. My thought was very similar: we don't have to like what we're going through, but God is ALWAYS good and we can thank Him for His goodness (and rejoice!) no matter what. Thanks!
Amen, Lily! God is ALWAYS good. So we can rejoice in him. Thanks for commenting.
Fantastic. As I continue to study through Hebrews, and specifically the lives of Job and Abraham, I see so much of what you wrote evident in their lives!
Thanks so much, offset!
Thank you Mark. You have no idea how timely this was for me to hear. All things means all things…not some or even most.
I'm grateful this was timely for you Mike – praise God. And you're right – All things means all things. Thanks for adding your comments!
You don't even have to like the Browns beating the Steelers. Woo-hoo!!!!!!
Hey Robert, you don\’t have to be so happy about it…
This is such a difficult truth to walk out, at least fo me. It is far easier to whine at all times, rather than rejoice at all times. I am still learning myself how to walk out thanksgiving when things just plain stink, but I find myself returning back to the stories of His faithfulness, both in my own life and in the saints of old. I find it helps to review those memories and ask myself, "If God was faithful when ___, why should I doubt His faithfulness now?"
Exellent, sometimeshope! You are so right – remembering God\’s faithfulness past gives us faith he\’ll be faithful in the future. Thanks for adding your comments!
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