Challenging Verses: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 are difficult verses for those afflicted with mental illness or/and autism. These verses contains four items that the afflicted struggle with their Christian walk. How can I rejoice always when I feel depressed, manic, frustrated, or suicidal? How can I pray without ceasing when my thoughts are racing, my body is restless, or my mind can’t focus? How do I give thanks in all circumstances when thankfulness is furthest from my thoughts? How do I understand these struggles, pains, and losses are the will of God in Christ Jesus for me? How…
Afflicted or not, all Christians struggle with their walk with Him. Many ask, “Why, God? Why would my Father allow such struggle in life? Why did He create me this way? Why?” God’s ways are beyond our capacity to understand. Sin corrupted His perfect Creation. Sin broke our perfect relationship with our Father. Sin ushered in suffering, pain, and death. We live in a fallen world full of dangers – both physically and psychologically. The afflicted are weaker and struggle with living up to the conventions of the Christian walk. Many of our struggles are due more to the limitations of the illnesses or conditions than behavior.
How can I rejoice always? Rejoicing is always difficult for me. My illness has peaks and valleys. I used to feel ashamed that I don’t always rejoice. I used to feel like I was less of a Christian. Sometimes, other Christians would question my walk because of my joyless states. Those comments inflicted pain but were not coming from the Word of God. Many times in the Old Testament man’s divergence from joy has been illustrated through David (Psalm 38:4), Elijah (1 Kings 19:4), Jonah (Jonah 4:9), Job (Job 30:15-17), Moses (Exodus 32:32), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 20:14), who were discouraged, weary, angry, devastated, lonely, and defeated. Even Jesus (Mark 14:34-36) himself was deeply anguished with the task that lay before Him. In the presence of calamity, a real or imagined constant companion to the mentally ill, rejoicing is always difficult. I may not rejoice always, but I always have the hope of Jesus Christ.
How can I pray without ceasing? Prayer is hard for me. I never sit still; one of my legs is always bouncing and my mind is always racing. During corporate prayer, my hearing issues make it extremely difficult to focus, along with my racing thoughts. I struggle to be still during these group prayers, and that brings a lot of shame. I do not easily admit to others my difficulties with prayer. God showed me that prayer is not about kneeling or folding hands. Prayer is my way to talk with Him. I developed my own unorthodox prayer time. When I am driving or in the tub, these situations allow me to talk out loud to Him.
How do I give thanks in all circumstances? People with Aspergers struggle with anger. I struggle with anger a lot. It is hard to control my emotions. They can be extreme at times. As a girl, after a school day of relentless bullying, I would throw my siblings to the ground and beat on them to relieve the frustration. I am not proud of this part of my childhood. I was thankful for the safety of my home. The bullying stopped when I got off the bus. I was angry at God for a while, for underemployment and underachievement. Anger was the only emotion I understood. God showed me His plan for people that were different in John 9:1-3 of His Word. Slowly, I began to understand His design for me. I began to be thankful for my afflictions because they glorified Him. He called me to serve special needs families in Ukraine. All that I am was made for His plan.
How do I understand the will of God in Christ Jesus for me? Being afflicted is difficult, frustrating, and painful. I could not understand why His will was for me to have afflictions yet also intelligence. Sometimes, I wished I was mindless. I have an MFA from a private art school but could not get employment in my field. His will is not like a worldly standard. His will is not our own feeble plans. I started serving and learning about His will for me, which was not in attaining financial or employment success, but in building His Kingdom. I am not going to pretend I fully understand His will for me, but I do understand He weaved my DNA with affliction and talents for His Kingdom. He loves me so much; He wants me as a part of His family and will.