“Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in every situation because this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (Common English Bible)
CliffsNotes is a series of study guides in pamphlet form. Great works of literature and other works are redacted—or condensed—to present a larger work in a more accessible form for a quick perusal of the material. Some use CliffsNotes to determine if a large work is something they want to invest the time in savoring the entire volume. Others, usually students preparing for an exam, simply want the facts. In these three brief verses from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, Paul provides the CliffsNotes to the Christian way of life. In three rapid movements, God’s will for us is presented: we are to be a people who rejoice always, who pray continually, and who give thanks in every situation. Paul met with this young congregation only a few times before writing this letter, yet he has developed a deep affection for them—“like a nursing mother caring for her own children” (1 Thessalonians 2:7b)—and longs that they grow strong in these three common shared experiences.
What does it mean to “rejoice always?” When my son, Nathanael, turned five years old, his mother and I threw him a birthday party. Half a dozen of his friends were invited and, as traditional birthdays go, birthday presents were presented and opened before cutting the birthday cake. Opening one gift, Nathanael’s eyes grew wide with joy, and, looking intently at the toy, exclaimed with delight, “It’s what I have always wanted! What is it?” Knowing what the gift is or the function of the gift was not important. Something greater was going on. Nathanael was surrounded by people who loved him, who cared to show up for his birthday, and even now were celebrating him. There was a party going on, and Nathanael was at the center of it all! Paul’s entire ministry is an announcement that God has shown up for us and is active in all things. Though there will be much in life we don’t understand, God stands with us in all life’s circumstances. That is an occasion for rejoicing always!
To pray continually is not every moment but constantly, repeatedly, as an acknowledgment that God is standing right with us. Richard Rohr tells us that St. Francis used to spend whole nights praying the same prayer: “Who are you, O God, and who am I?” Rohr asks that we notice that St. Francis is not stating anything, is not sure of anything, but is just asking open-ended questions.[1] This is the prayer that Paul speaks of when he instructs us to pray continually. The continual notice that God is God, whatever that may mean, and that we are not, is humbling. Such prayer—a constant awareness of a God of infinite mystery—diminishes any notion that we are large enough or strong enough to face life on our own. There is tremendous freedom in that! We are not alone in this journey we call life. Whatever may come in our future is not solely dependent upon us. The great object of prayer is to get home to God even when we fail to receive from God compliance for what we ask.
Paul concludes his summary of the Christian life asking that we give thanks in every situation. The careful eye will distinguish between “give thanks in every situation” and “give thanks for every situation.” Even the smallest child has experienced enough to realize that life throws some things at us that one cannot reasonably be thankful for. What Paul is asking us is that a life that has mastered rejoicing always and praying continually is a life that knows there is more to come—that any hardship, any loss, or any suffering fails to have the last word. God is present in each moment of our life and continually seeks our good. God has determined in the resurrection of Jesus Christ to have the last word for us. It is a word of life abundant with God for eternity. William James writes, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that people can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.”[2] Paul asks that we alter our lives simply by relinquishing control over our outcomes in life and approach all situations with a grateful heart that God moves us forward—even through the darkest shadows. Here, writes Paul, is the sum of the Christian life.
Joy,
[1] Rohr, Richard. Yes, And . . . Daily Meditations. Cincinnati: Franciscan Media, 1997, 102.
[2] Nightingale, Earl. Successful Living in a Changing World, Shippensberg: Sound Wisdom, 2021, 174.
Nurture Faith with Dr. Doug Hood 