“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7)
It would be so easy to see this passage as just aspirational. How it can be possible to rejoice in all situations? But this is not a Hallmark card. The Apostle Paul was writing this letter from a prison cell, not from the safety of a comfortable home. God’s apostles, the early church and our missionaries echo this. So this is just a comfortable pollyannish sentiment we can just dismiss.
No, this is about that experience of praising God IN the storm. This call to rejoice - to shout the “hard fought hallelujah’s” is an experience missionaries may encounter more than most. They have stories to share about how they learned to rejoice in moments of hardship. I remember reading Dr. Robert Foster’s biography of his work as a missionary in Angola and marveling at the way Lord led him, as he pressed through hardship after hardship. Ask his daughter Sheila Foster Fabiano, who is still serving in Angola and visiting with us this week! Another dear friend, a lifelong missionary, is courageously enduring the pain of a crisis in his family even as I write this, and his answer to my recent email about our prayers is “We serve a great God!”
Rejoicing is not about putting a good face on things, pretending optimism we don’t feel. Difficulties are real, sobering and need to be faced head-on with grit, determination and entrusting our requests to God - but also to rest in his peace while we do all that! And remarkably, Paul counsels us to also respond with what seems like“premature” rejoicing in the Lord because we know that because of His character, His power and His goodness, that He will have and provide the answers we need.
As we celebrate Global Awareness Week, let’s ask the Missionaries we encounter about their “Hard Fought Hallelujahs"!
Prayer Prompt: Dear Lord, in the storms in my life, I confess I am so often beset with anxiety until I see the resolution to my difficult situations. Forgive me for not trusting your power and your love for me. Right now, I release my fear and I lean on your love for me as my hope. I rejoice in You!
Song of the Day: Hard Fought Hallelujah - Brandon Lake
Bonus Song of the Day: I Praise you in the Storm - Natalie Grant
