What Does It Mean to Rejoice in Christ?

Throughout the New Testament, Christians Throughout the New Testament, Christians are called again and again to rejoice in are called again and again to rejoice in are called again and again to rejoice in Christ. Christ. Christ. But very often Christians don't know But very often Christians don't know But very often Christians don't know how to rejoice. how to rejoice. how to rejoice. They can think that They can think that They can think that joy is a feeling to be conjured up joy is a feeling to be conjured up joy is a feeling to be conjured up within themselves, that they should pep within themselves, that they should pep within themselves, that they should pep themselves up to feel themselves up to feel themselves up to feel this rejoicing. That's simply not how it this rejoicing. That's simply not how it this rejoicing. That's simply not how it works. How it works is shown to us in 2 works. How it works is shown to us in 2 works. How it works is shown to us in 2 Corinthians 3:18. We all with unveiled Corinthians 3:18. We all with unveiled Corinthians 3:18. We all with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord are face beholding the glory of the Lord are face beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed into his image from being transformed into his image from being transformed into his image from glory to glory. glory to glory. glory to glory. That we grow in a Christ-likeness and we That we grow in a Christ-likeness and we That we grow in a Christ-likeness and we share Christ's own joy share Christ's own joy share Christ's own joy as the Spirit opens our eyes to behold, as the Spirit opens our eyes to behold, as the Spirit opens our eyes to behold, to contemplate, to focus on, to fix on to contemplate, to focus on, to fix on to contemplate, to focus on, to fix on him. It's when we look to him, when his him. It's when we look to him, when his him. It's when we look to him, when his light drives away our darkness, light drives away our darkness, light drives away our darkness, that's when we find ourselves starting that's when we find ourselves starting that's when we find ourselves starting to rejoice.

to rejoice. to rejoice. Not when we look inside ourselves, not Not when we look inside ourselves, not Not when we look inside ourselves, not when we look to our performances or our when we look to our performances or our when we look to our performances or our feelings. It's when we look to him. feelings. It's when we look to him. feelings. It's when we look to him. His graciousness, his holiness, his His graciousness, his holiness, his His graciousness, his holiness, his constancy, his glory. constancy, his glory. constancy, his glory. That's when, even in all circumstances, That's when, even in all circumstances, That's when, even in all circumstances, Christians can find Christians can find Christians can find joy joy joy bubbles up bubbles up bubbles up as they see him.