Practice Rejoicing

Many people are skeptical about the power of prayer. This is understandable, especially in troubling times that shock the world through chaos and confusion. As a supplement to prayer, I would also suggest that we practice rejoicing. 

Rejoice

to feel or show great joy or delight.

The key words here are feel and show, meaning that this is an action that should be felt and showcased through bold expression of happiness.

For me, I really try to isolate my practice of rejoicing during the darkest times of my life, as I discover the truth through the challenging circumstance. This is a very difficult task because it requires a complete shift in your entire thought process. In addition to the work it takes to change your attitude from pessimism to optimism, after you have finished rejoicing you may sometimes be left completely void of energy. This is a very depleting practice.

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Spiritual Rejoicing

The Bible is flooded with the term “rejoice”, almost as though it is the water that will cleanse us from the inescapable filthiness that is life. In terms of spiritual rejoicing, there is an advanced application to this that requires more than just action in favorable circumstances. Spiritual rejoicing is an act that is preceded by great pain and agony, and the rejoicing is a successful occurrence where normal negative circumstances turn out to become positive circumstances.

[Please keep in mind that this is my opinion stemming from my own personal belief system and experiences.]

One thing I would like to say is that even when you practice rejoicing frequently, it can still be difficult to truly be successful at this because it requires a ton of effort that goes against your natural psychological instincts.

Because of this, I have found the major moments of powerful rejoicing in my life to be rare. Daily instances of giving gratitude (for example while listening to praise and worship music) is a more common form of rejoicing. Basically, there are levels to how you will feel from time to time.

Recently I experienced the power of rejoicing on the grandest scale and I wanted to share my experience from that. So what does the “rejoicing” that I’m referring to look like?

Tears of joy

The main indicator that I use to evaluate the intensity of the rejoicing I feel is the “tears of joy” measure. This occurs when you are overcome with sad, dark emotions but the outcome still makes you happy and brightly appreciative. It’s hard to describe, but it is a rare moment when you are sad circumstantially, but simultaneously you hold satisfaction in the power of your ultimate condition of remaining happy.

Sometimes it is difficult to recognize a moment of when you are really rejoicing vs. a moment of when you are feeling simple elation based on favorable circumstances. But it is important to understand that when you rejoice, you will be taken from a dark, sad, isolated place to an uplifting, communal mood. There is a significant change in the entire situation; you are also moved to bring others with you and share a good light of faith.

The great reward is that the more difficult your circumstances, the more intensity you feel from rejoicing.

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For me, there were many moments in my life that I would rejoice as a little girl. There would be moments where I felt completely abandoned by the world, yet I was still clinging onto a hope, love and a joy that was inescapable. It wasn’t until I became a professional as an adult that I really started consciously attempting to rejoice in trying circumstances.

I finally saw the beauty of crying in happiness, even though it is a rare, sometimes confusing emotion.

Praise and worship music can help enhance this atmosphere, but it is not necessary to listen to music in order to feel the raw emotion of despair transformed into joy.

“Rejoice”

My Motown angel aunties Vernessa & Barbara Mitchell have perfectly expressed the great powerful emotion of rejoicing on this song. “Rejoice” solidified my spiritual being when I was a young girl growing up trying to figure out how to be happy in a life that felt like it was going to be nothing but misery for me.

My prayer is that this music touches you to move, feel, love, and be someone who can successfully enjoy the beautiful, endless benefits of rejoicing through any circumstance.

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Peace and Joy

“And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

-Romans 5:2-5