Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4, New International Version) 

…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18, New International Version)

Theme:  Rejoicing and Thanksgiving

Context:

The Covid-19 pandemic dominated world events for the last 3 years and featured extensively in our 40 Days of Discipline journey during those years.  Rejoicing and thanksgiving may not have been dominant activities during the worst of the pandemic, but now with the hope of a return to normalcy, these activities may feel a bit more appropriate.  This highlights an interesting issue for Christians though, because the biblical prescription for the relationship between rejoicing/thanksgiving and our circumstances doesn’t align with the world’s view.   

Bible Study Passage:

The Scripture passages we will consider for our study over the next three days are provided above.  From the Apostle Paul’s perspective, there is no doubt about the importance of rejoicing and thanksgiving.  Please spend some time reflecting on the passages and respond to the question below.     

Question:

The Bible has numerous references to rejoicing and thanksgiving.  How would you define these terms from a biblical perspective?    

Please share your thoughts.