“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4).
You know well rejoicing isn’t always easy. You’re far beyond trying to fake being happy, for yourself or anyone else. A life of genuine joy requires being honest and intentional with your thoughts and feelings. It often means laying down offenses, wounds, and fears of failure, rejection, and loss before God, and letting him overwhelm the space they took up in your mind and heart with all the love, joy, and peace he has for you.
Rejoicing is often fueled by the hope and joy that is stirred up with the thankfulness you practice for all the good things in your life. But sometimes it’s a warrior’s resolve, a determination in the face of negativity to celebrate God’s grace and goodness toward you. It’s intentionally delighting yourself in who God is for you, and who you are in him. It’s choosing to see others with the love God does.
Rejoice. Not because you’re supposed to, or because you’re trying to perform to get God to notice you (you already have his undivided attention). Rejoice because joy is the reality your Father lives in, and therefore it’s your home.
Equip Your Spirit 