My initial response to that question echoes a parent’s voice in my head, “because I told you to!”  I think most people understand not all voices that parrot “parent” voices represent the character and voice of our heavenly Father; yet sometimes, I believe, He challenges us to search scriptures to hear what He is saying and the tone of voice in which He is speaking.

For instance, these directives:

“Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to His holy Name.” (Psalm 97:12)

or…

“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)

I confess I have, I am sure, for most of my life been a circumstantial “rejoicer”—not rejoicing in all circumstances, rather, just the ones that make me happy.  And giving thanks in all situations defies human logic!  Yet there is ALWAYS something to thank God for!

It is interesting that in both of those verses “rejoicing” and “giving thanks” appear to complement each other.

It isn’t too difficult to rejoice and give thanks when life is progressing smoothly, challenges are pretty easy to overcome, and the people we interact with are doing what we expect they should do—though sometimes even in the mundane aspects of our everyday life, the thought of rejoicing doesn’t come readily to mind.

But in the “lion’s den”, the enemy prowling around like a lion seeking whom he may devour, moments of life, the “how could you let this happen?” moments, or the “I don’t even know why I try” moments, the thought of giving thanks or rejoicing seems so superficial, mechanical, feeling like some sort of religious obligation with no depth of devotion.

Daniel’s response, when king Darius was influenced to sign an ordinance that would jeopardize Daniel’s life if he continued to pray and worship God as was his habit to do, amazes me!

“When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem.  He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” (Daniel 6:10)

Amazing!  This man who had been faithfully serving God in a hostile kingdom for 65-70 years by this time, responded to the threat of certain death with thanksgiving, with faith, and in faithfulness.  His response demonstrated what the apostle Paul put into words: “…nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” (2 Timothy 1:12)

His response of thankfulness caused me to consider our responses to the many anti-Biblical, anti-Christian attitudes within our culture, and often being introduced into law within our government.  I can’t say that thankfulness immediately invades my thoughts or pops right out of my mouth!  Sometimes the reactions I hear or read from Christians convey fear, anxiety, or anger—sometimes, my own internal reactions sound like “Oh no!  What if……?” 

We see a remarkable response in the lives of the apostles to threats and beatings for the sake of the gospel: “…and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.  Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.  And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.” (Acts 5:40-42)

Some of the tactics the enemy uses against believers can be observed in both the story of Daniel and the lion’s den, as well as the threatening and beating of the apostles.  Satan…

• attempts to use legal means to silence Christians;
• he poses legitimate threats of violence;
• he intimidates;
• he sparks fear;
• he intends to cut off or undermine our communication with God, restricting our spiritual weapon of prayer;
• and he wants to silence our proclamation of and reliance on the Name of Jesus.

Peter reminded believers in the early church, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.  If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. …Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that Name.” (1 Peter 4:12-14, 16)

The only way I can figure a “rejoicing, giving-thanks” (not a manufactured, “just because you told me to”) response is possible is through having a life established and built upon the word of God.  In fact, rejoicing when our circumstances may not warrant it, is not about obeying a command; it is about trusting our faithful God.

“Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

(Romans 5:2-5)