1 Thessalonians 5:16-19, 22 NIV
“Be joyful always;
pray continually;
give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Do not put out the Spirit’s fire…
Avoid every kind of evil.”

This morning in my quiet time,  my heart was captured by the simple, yet profound instructions in Thessalonians.

The ending of Paul’s letter reads more like a handbook with a few final instructions you would want to share with your own children.  It’s like he’s saying, “I realize life is hard.  I realize it’s hard to be believer in an unbelieving world.  But if you’ll do these things, you’ll have hope.   You’ll have peace.  And you’ll be holy and blameless at Jesus’ return.”

:16, “Always be joyful,”  NLT

What I hear in my heart when I read those words:  Choose joy regardless of circumstances.  Life is full of hard things.  Things that are unfair and unreasonable.  So instead of giving into the fleshly desires of being miserable or bitter (which comes naturally), choose joy.  Being joyful is a choice, not always a feeling.

:17, “Never stop praying,” NLT

What I hear in my heart:  Never give up in prayer.  You know: those things; those people; those circumstances you’ve been praying for for years – seemingly to no avail.   Don’t believe the lies the enemy tells you: ‘There’s no need; no hope; no reason to keep praying; That God’s not listening because you’re not worthy of having prayer answered.’

This is not true!   Continue to pray.  Believe our God hears and will answer in His own perfect time and in His own perfect way.  Never stop praying.

:18, “Be thankful in all circumstances,”  NLT

What I hear:  Find something to be thankful for even when circumstances stink.  Be a glass half-full kind of girl.  Find something to say, “Thank You” for – even when you don’t want to!   Find something to be hopeful about.  Find something that’s positive.  (Notice, Scripture does not say to be thankful for  the circumstance, but  in the circumstance.)

:19, “Do not stifle the Holy Spirit,”  NLT

I hear:  Do not grieve the Holy Spirit by what comes out of my mouth or by my actions.  This verse reminds me of Psalm 19:13, “Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me.  Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgressions.”

Examples may be:  ingratitude; neglect of prayer and/or Bible reading; lying or telling white lie; gossip or “sharing a prayer request”; getting back at someone who has hurt you; superiority in your thinking; judgmental thinking…  The list could go on.

:22, “Stay away from every kind of evil.”  NLT

I hear:  Things God considers evil, often come in pretty packages.  So just as a mother tells her small child, “Stay away.  This will hurt you.”  Our loving heavenly Father instructs us to “Stay away!”

Warning:  Our flesh will tell us we need it or want it anyway.

But don’t open that door.  Don’t even flirt with it.  It may look good at the time, but that pretty little package will ultimately bring sadness, regret, guilt or destruction to your life or to the lives of those around you.

Just before finishing his letter, Paul prays.

And I echo his words for you and myself:

“May the God of peace make you holy in every way, and  may your whole spirit, and soul, and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.” (1 Thes. 5: 23)

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