A friend told me recently how a lady helped him early in his Christian life. ”She was the person who taught me the secret of praising God in every situation.”

He reminded me of Philippians 4:4 that says:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

A few days later, I saw a young man, laden with groceries, opening his front gate. As he fiddled with the catch, some of his purchases fell on the driveway. He tried to catch them but some other plastic bags split and more groceries fell out. He stamped his foot, cursed and yelled.

Does it take great self-control to rejoice in such a situation?

No! It takes a change of perspective. It makes all the difference once we understand we belong to the Lord. We need to remember who God is. He loves us and knows all about us. Nothing can come into our lives except he allows it. Everything works together for good to those who love Him. When we complain, we are telling God we don’t like the way he is organizing things for us. When we rejoice, we are trusting His love and power toward us personally.

Have you learned the secret of praising God in every situation?