Is it possible to know joy and happiness in the midst of suffering? God’s command given through Paul to rejoice always seems impossible at best and cruel at worst. Furthermore, it has often been quoted in the most unhelpful of ways as people expect joyful people to be smiling people and thus struggle squaring being joyful with going through times of intense grief and pain.
Paul helpfully calls the church to root their joy not in the circumstance but in their fellowship with God and contrary to common conceptions Paul recognizes that a joyful person doesn’t always have a smile on their face.
joshua.moxon 
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