I was on the front lawn of our old house last week wringing out sopping wet beach towels. We were in the midst of a move and an irrigation catastrophe hit. It not only caused flooding outside our home, but water came into the basement as well. In the midst of great difficulty, there is always place of refuge awaiting the believer in Jesus. I found such refuge and it’s a lesson to which my heart longs to return. Oh my heart, listen up! I will need this reminder when the waves of the storms in life again threaten to rise up over my head.
I learned that difficult day about the secret to Paul’s contentment in Philippians 4:12–and the key that unlocks it. In this letter to the church in Philippi, he wrote from a jail cell: “I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances.” I have been studying Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, through which the Holy Spirit revealed to me how Paul was able to say such things in the harshest conditions. It’s gloriously simple, but challenging in practice. His secret weapon against discontentment was his rejoicing! In all things, he rejoiced, always, in the Lord (see for yourself in Philippians 1:18, 2:17, 2:18, 2:28, 3:1, 4:4, 4:10). He speaks these words, not from a place free of hardship, but rather a place of surrender of His will to the Sovereignty of God in his circumstances.
The beach towels were all I had to soak up, not only the rising water on the basement floor, but the mud that accompanied it. My fingers were weary from the tight squeezing necessary to wring out all the water on the front lawn. My body was already fatigued from the lifting of packed boxes being transported from each room of the house into the garage. My eyes felt heavy as the lack of sleep was setting in. My sore muscles could barely handle the heavy buckets of water now being transported up the basement steps. Tears began to stream down my face as my weary body could not longer stand and I surrendered to my buckling legs, sitting down on the only available spot… the wet grass. Continuing to wring out what seemed like a few dozen towels, though the tears I began to sing. “Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy praise. Let they mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise…” “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. Rejoice, rejoice and again I say rejoice…”
I realized in that moment that rejoicing was a choice. In my choosing to look to my Savior and remain grateful, thankful and full of praise for His glorious work upon my life and His gift of mercy and grace toward me, a sinner, His love abounded and showered over me. There, at that moment of choosing, I was given everything I needed to endure. Not only endure, but to have peace and joy and a wonderful lesson for my life in preparation for the next storm that will inevitably come. Rejoicing didn’t change my circumstances, but it absolutely did change me.
…oh and the best part! The sale of the house went through three days later anyway! Praise the Lord.
