WHY REJOICING ALWAYS: Paul As a Deep Thinker and Mind-Healing Therapist

1 Thess 5:16-22 (NRSV)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.

Rejoicing is a desirable attitude toward life and this world. What we see and how we think about what we see will determine our lives. Do we see positive things and energy amid chaos and turmoil? Can we see the hidden power of the Spirit of God in the world? Can we sing the songs of the birds when we hear them? Can we be happy when we see small plants growing in the yard? Can we celebrate the source of our life, which is God? Can we rejoice always under any circumstances? The answer is yes because the source of our joy does not depend on ourselves. So, Paul asks, "Rejoice always." 

When we face the harsh realities of life, feeling sucked in the vortex of life crises, we can pray to God to deal with them wisely and patiently, letting go of groundless fear or worries. Prayer is the time that we invite God to intervene in our minds. We yield to God and realize again who we are. Then, we may navigate rough waves faithfully without being crushed. Since uncertainties and thorns fill us relentlessly, we need to pray without ceasing. That is Paul's insight. 

The last thing Paul asks for is to give thanks in all circumstances. This point of thanks goes back to the importance of rejoicing always. We must count the things we receive from God. We breathe in and out every second. We walk on trails in the park. We eat and talk. We run and rest. We have people whom we love. Most importantly, we are not alone because God is with us.

As we see above, Paul is more than a theologian. Knowing what to think of himself and how to face the world wisely, he knows how to undergo a whirlwind of emotions. He is a deep thinker and mind-healing therapist. His advice is this: "Don't focus on negative things in your life. Focus on what you have. Trust God always because God is more than you think. You are also more than what you see. Rise above from the seat of negativity. See the bright sun rising on you every day."