Out of those three, one is easy to do. We can easily rejoice in hope. But why is it so hard to be patient in tribulation and be in constant prayer?
Let's break these down individually.
REJOICE IN HOPE
Ever since we were little we have always been taught to celebrate the good things in life. We get excited for the good things we know are in our future. Even when things are not a guarantee we still rejoice and hope that the things will turn out the way we envisioned them. When things hoped for turn out for our good we can rejoice and be thankful. That's the easy part.
So what happens when things hoped for don't turn out the way we had envisioned them? What happens when we have been praying for a certain person or situation to turn out the way we want it to and God has another plan? Can you be patient and wait on Gods timing even if its a negative outcome (that is), negative in our human understanding?
BE PATIENT IN TRIBULATION
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.. (Jeremiah 29:11-12)
When we put our hope in a God that know the plans He has for us, plans that are not for evil but plans for a future and a hope, we should use that to reassure ourselves that whatever life is throwing at us that God knew this would be a part of our journey. We need to find a supernatural comfort in knowing that He knew you would be going through this situation before you were even born. Does that make the situations easy to go through? Of course not, but we can find the comfort in knowing that whatever the outcome, it is for a better future and a refining of our hearts. The hardest part is allowing things to happen in God's timing. That is why we must be patient in tribulation and allow God to walk close with us. I love the words of the Steve Fee song, Arms That Hold The Universe. He sings:
And the arms that hold the universe
Are holding you tonight
You can rest inside
It's gonna be alright
And the voice that calmed the raging se
Is calling you His child
So be still and know He's in control
He will never let you go
We can rest in those worlds and know that God has the best plan for our lives but it must be in His timing, not ours.
If we continue to read the Jeremiah verse I referenced above, it says in verse 13 that "you will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart". None of this can be done without seeking God with all your heart, especially being patient in tribulation. The only way we can truly seek God is through our last topic.
BE CONSTANT IN PRAYER
I like to say pray without ceasing. Now some of you may be thinking that's impossible. You may be thinking, how can i walk around all day with my eyes closed, head bowed and hands clasped together. If that's the only way you think you can pray then I would not recommend doing this!
To me, prayer is anytime you are pointing things back to God, times of thanking God for all He has done. Finding God in the things in your everyday life from a sunset/sunrise to laughing with a friend to waking up and thanking God that He has given you another day to be in His light in this dark work. It could be singing out in worship when things are good and when things are bad. Prayer is more about God that it is about you. It can be exhausting when we constantly go to God like a genie wanting OUR prayers answered in OUR time the way WE want them answered. The funny thing is God already knows what your going to pray for. He wants to have an open and honest relationship with you. Instead we should pray and ask God that in whatever direction my life goes today that His name would be glorified and even though I may not like what the outcome is, I will still rejoice in His presence. I have always been a pretty positive person even in tough times but I know that its only because I am in a constant state of reassurance and thankfulness always finding the positive in situations. That only happens when we are in a constant posture of prayer.
I hope those of these views of these topics will help you put perspective on your situations.
Grace and Peace
Ben
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