Thessalonians Filter

I had a surprise visit from my sister in April. She drove 1200 miles to put a smile on my face. Unfortunately, she knocked on my door after I had finished a half an hour crying jag, so my face was a blotchy mess.

I don’t have social media, but my sister does. She took a picture of us the next day and after seeing it I asked her, “How does my skin look so smooth? Why does it look like I have makeup on? How is it we both look younger???”

Sorcery? Nah, bro…. Just a photo filter. I did a quick web search on photo filters and found dozens and dozens to choose from. Some of them were comical. I can make myself look like a certain aquatic Disney princess with the touch of a button. Other photo filters can make me look younger, or make it look like I live in a different era altogether.

I want to share something with you, dear reader. I put a pause on blogging in May because I was struggling with back-to-back personal heartaches. In March, I left the church I had attended for 6+ years. It was not an easy decision. I spoke up about something that worried me, and my words were not well received. I had hoped for a better outcome, but it didn’t come to fruition and it left me feeling hurt and lost. A month later my father disowned me. He wanted me to speak up when I knew it was best to remain silent.

The loss of these relationships has been agonizing for me. There just isn’t any other way to say it. I’m an introvert, but the relationships I do choose to keep are absolutely precious to me. I was left questioning myself all through the spring and into the summer.

I have been running my doubts, regrets, feelings, and wishes through the “If only” filter.

If only. Those two words have haunted me for months. If only I had stayed quiet. If only I had spoken up. If only I could let it go…. forgive… forget…. move on…..stop feeling.

A few days ago I decided to do a little retail therapy. I knew it for what it was. I didn’t actually buy anything, I just placed books I wanted into the magical online cyber cart. World wide web window shopping. One of these books was Soul Fuel, a year-long daily devotional by British adventurer Bear Grylls.

The free preview showed page seven of Soul Fuel. Bear Grylls mentioned 1st Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 16 -18.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

If the Bible was a trendy social media site – these commands would be the ‘Thessalonians filter.’ The apostle Paul wrote these commands to the believers at the church of Thessalonika in Greece. They still apply today.

I took some time to ponder what Paul was saying. Three verbs – ( rejoice, pray, thanksgiving.) Three quantifiers. (Always, without ceasing, in everything.) The Why? ( It’s the will of God.) The How? ( In Christ Jesus.) To Whom? ( For YOU.)

“Rejoice always.” From Old French – “re” = “again” + “joir” = “joy.” Literally – “Joy again, always.”

“Pray without ceasing.” The word “prayer” is a derivative of the Latin “precari”, which means “to beg.” It’s interesting to note that the word ‘precarious’ is from Latin precarius “depending on favor, pertaining to entreaty, obtained by asking or praying.” It’s a very humbling notion when you realize that you are reliant on the grace of God, but that He loves you so much that He desires to hear from you all the time.

“In everything give thanks.” I noticed that it does not say, “For everything” but “In everything.” We are often thankful for things. When we recognize our circumstances as being God’s divine order for our lives, we are thankful in everything.

Did you know that the Greek word for thanksgiving is eucharisteō? I never knew. This is where we get the word Eucharist, the Christian ceremony commemorating the Last Supper, in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed.

In everything….. be thankful to Jesus who sacrificed His sinless life for your sinful one.

It’s the will of God that you do these three things perpetually – rejoice – pray – thanks – but as humans, we can’t do these things without help. We do this “In Christ Jesus.” Not in our own strength, but His. It’s interesting that God wants us to do these things, not for Him, but “for you.”

I realized that the commands in Thessalonians are essentially a spiritual mental health filter. God wants me to rejoice. I will have sadness in my life – but to rejoice is to find joy through Him, again and again. God wants me to pray, all the time! He longs to hear from me. What a delightful notion! The Creator of the universe wishes to hear from me. God wants me to be thankful, in everything. The word for thanksgiving is tied to the atoning death of Christ. His suffering was not without purpose. Why should I ever believe that my circumstances are suffering without purpose? He would not allow that.

I am not happy about broken relationships. Neither is God. But I can and will rejoice in God’s goodness, remember I rely upon His favor, ( not mankind’s) and remain ever thankful for the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross.

After months of feeling awful, I feel sweet relief applying these verses to my life. Instead of looking inward at myself, “I fix my eyes on Jesus, the pioneer, and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

I am at peace. I have found the smile my sister was looking for.

Sorcery? Nah, bro…. it’s a filter.

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