Rejoice Always!

"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

This verse has been more relevant than ever for me over the last few weeks.

I realized that as the cold Ukrainian winter crept in (or should I say "snowed us in")  My spirits were sunk almost every day, and it was hard to dig myself out of the hole I felt I was in.

It pretty much looks like this everywhere now, except with more ice :)

Well, I wasn't depressed, but I wasn't exactly satisfied or happy about my circumstances.  Which is silly!  I just got married to the most amazing husband in the universe, and we have a pretty nice apartment, and my family came to our wedding in Ukraine all the way from California, and we had an amazing honeymoon, among so many other undeserved blessings!

However, once we came back to the real world, we had problems with many things breaking in our apartment, freezing weather, too long of transportation times, missing the bus, being late to work constantly, waking up every morning exhausted from not enough sleep, and many other small trials.

THEN, last week at our home group, God revealed clearly the true condition my heart!  I was complaining constantly in my heart!  Whether I was disgruntled at being crowded in the metro, someone stepping on my foot, the freezing wind in my face, or running out of eggs and having to walk to the store, etc...  What ever small trial God allowed me to have, I was almost always complaining about them!  

Oh how wretched am I!? I realized exactly the condition of my sinful heart, and where the roots of that complaining were....not being satisfied in all that God is for me in Jesus Christ!  If I was completely satisfied with all that God is in Jesus Christ, then I would never complain about anything, knowing that 

"Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:12 

And knowing that, I would:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."James 1:2-4 

And:

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:3-6

So once I realized that my heart was not "rejoicing always, praying continually and giving thanks in all circumstances"  I had a choice to make:  keep sinning and be miserable, or repent for my sin and actively seek change in my heart through the Holy Spirit.  

Well, obviously I made the second choice!  I have forgotten the joy that I first had when I came to Ukraine 5 months ago, and I let the devil lie to me and tell me that God has created a less-than-satisfactory life for me here in Ukraine!

Now I'm trying to remember that joy, and all the reasons that God led me to come to Ukraine in the first place.  Remembering all the grace in my life and blessing God has given in the past, and knowing that "My God will supply every need of [mine] according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19 makes me look forward to a future everyday with God, knowing that God is going to supply all my needs: physical, spiritual and emotional!

I encourage you to seek God today, and seek healing for your heart!  Everyone is a sinner and no one can say that he or she is perfect and without sin! 

Consider this: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him [God] out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives." 1 John 1:8-10

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23

Have a very blessed day, full of joy and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ!