Rejoice always, God is working
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”
Philippians 4:4 (NIV)
Can you think of a time in your life when God used a key experience to shape your future? Even if you’re not a Christian, I’m sure you can think of a time when something changed your life. Perhaps it was heartbreak through death, divorce, or some other moment of loss. Perhaps it was an experience of revelation as it was for Brandon McGuire in this week’s episode where his experience in various parts of Africa started him on a path to create an apologetics documentary.
It’s easy to look back on those moments and see how these experiences shaped who you are today. Especially in major moments like a wedding, funeral, graduation, the birth of a child or other key moment, it’s easy to see how formative that experience was for you. Sometimes, though, the key experiences in our lives are much more subtle. These moments come about in the midst of the ordinary or even out of the routine of life. You may not have realized how formative those moments really were until later.
It’s easy to disregard the present. We get caught up in the everyday, normal things of life and sometimes miss special moments or even how special our routine really is. Personally, I will admit to you that I have been in seminary for going on five years now. It’s been an amazing experience, but I’m five years in and worn from the rigor. I will be glad when graduation comes. However, I am choosing to intentionally find the joy and give thanks in the little things through the semester. I am choosing to believe that God is still working on my heart and in my life through this seminary experience.
I don’t know what that experience is for you now. Perhaps it’s a job you’ve been at forever, or perhaps you’re worn from the never ending job of parenting. Whatever it is, I hope you’ll join me in intentionally believing that God is working. Let’s not miss the ways that God is moving and only recognize them in retrospect. Look for God’s hand now. Look for what God is doing in your life and give thanks.