Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!

If you would like to get started memorizing some key Bible verses to meditate on, and to get into your life, Philippians 4:4 is a good one. It is short, it is simple, and the truth in it is profound, be happy. Here are some simple observations and applications from this verse;

1. Most people think that our joy is a result of our circumstances; good circumstances = joy, bad circumstances = no joy.

2. If we believe that our circumstances dictate our level of joy we will feel like victims most of the time. A person with a victim mentality is difficult to have a positive relationship with, they become increasingly pessimistic about life in general, anxiety over the future increases, they are afraid to try anything new, and they increasingly become less responsible in life blaming every failure on something or someone else.

3. We can choose to act happy in spite of circumstances, and if we do we will soon feel happy.

4. Those who discover this simple law and live by it, rejoicing always, are free, they are not controlled by events and circumstances.

5. Those who consistently practice Philippians 4:4 will be very attractive to other people; people enjoy being with happy, positive people.

6. Those who consistently practice Philippians 4:4 will be healthier, have more strength, and have more energy than those whose joy is a product of their circumstances.

7. Those who faithfully ”rejoice always” as an act of their will, will be successful at solving problems and barriers in life, because their motive is not selfish but a service to others, prompting God to bless our efforts.

8. A simple way to teach ourselves to rejoice always is whenever we get down a bit because of crappie circumstances, think about heaven, the fact that we are going there, what it will be like, and how we will feel, it really does work.