How to Behave Toward God

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

In the last section of this letter, we find instructions on how to behave toward God. What is your attitude to be toward God? First, we are to Rejoice always. This can be translated, Be cheerful. Do not let things get you down. Society is filled with despair. The pressures we live under today can do this. But a Christian has an inner resource. Therefore, we can obey the word of James, Count it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials and temptations (James 1:2). Do not take it as an attack on you. Do not moan and groan and say, What have I done to deserve this sort of thing? But rejoice, because trials make you grow up, make you face yourself and learn things about yourself that you did not know. That is what James goes on to say, That you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing, (James 1:4b RSV).

Second, Paul says, Pray continually. That is the method of drawing on the inner strength that God provides. My wife and I had dinner with a young pastor of a struggling church. He told us that one of the things that made life difficult for him, was that all the literature he read on how to be a successful pastor said that he must have a support group of people to help him. I do not want to say anything against support groups. God has put us in a body, and we can profit from a small group. But this man made the mistake of thinking that success was impossible without the support of a group. Since he was unable to find anyone who could help and pray with him, he was discouraged. We told him that a support group isn't a necessity. God often removes the props from our lives in order to teach us that he himself is all we need. Have you been there yet? As you pour out your heart in desperate prayer, you discover that he has quiet ways of answering that teach you he is El Shaddai, the God who is enough. When you discover that, then you have something to contribute to a support group that will be a help to others. That is why Paul says, Pray continually.

Then third, be thankful. Why be thankful? Because when you are faced with a trial, you are being given an opportunity to glorify God. If you never face trials or pressures, how could anyone ever see that you have a reliable source of strength that others do not know anything about? So, be thankful. Notice how the apostle underlines this: for this is God's will for you. The will of God is not to make some dramatic display of power that is going to attract attention. It is the quiet response you make to the daily trials in which you find yourself.

Teach me, Lord, to respond to every challenging situation I face with joy, prayer and gratitude.