The Apostle Paul’s “Eat Pray Love”-like formula – 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, 25, Part 1

Editor’s Note: This week I welcome guest blogger, Debbie Marks. Debbie has a degree in social work, served for 30+ in pastoral ministry alongside her husband, is an educator, leads Bible studies, and has been a retreat speaker. I’m excited for her teaching this week.

In 2006 Elizabeth Gilbert wrote a biographical memoir called Eat Pray Love. It was later made into a movie by the same name, starring Julia Roberts as Elizabeth Gilbert. Following a painful divorce, the book chronicles Gilbert’s journey around the world immersing herself in the pleasures of food in Italy, spiritual practices in India, and finding balance and love in Bali. She essentially used “eating” as a metaphor for indulging in life’s joys; “praying” for spiritual exploration; and “loving” for finding inner peace. It seems that “Eat Pray Love” was a formula for a flourishing life for Gilbert after her divorce. 

We are currently in the last section of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, his final instructions to the Christians on how to live a flourishing life. He peppers them with short commands, and though they are simple commands, theyaren’t necessarily easy to follow. I call it the JOY PRAYER GRATITUDE way of life.

In 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18, 25, Paul says to the Thessalonians, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. . . Brothers and sisters, pray for us.”

We’re going to begin at verse 25, with Paul’s request for prayer from the church, for himself, and his associates: “Brothers and sisters, pray for us.” Paul doesn’t explain why prayer is requested, but there are two possibilities for this request I found.

1. Paul may have wanted them to pray for his mission, including his return visit to Thessalonica. We know Paul so wanted to return and see the people, the church, he had planted. He tells the church in this letter that he has an intense longing to see them again (see 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:5).
2. Paul may have wanted prayer for security and safety in the face of so much persecution. We know of the persecution Paul experienced while in Thessalonica, his reason for fleeing after just three weeks time. But in his second letter to the Thessalonians, he asks for prayer that the message would spread rapidly and “that they’d be delivered from wicked and evil people.” (2Thessalonians 3:1-2).

You’ll remember in chapter 1, verse 2 Paul says “we always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. . .” Paul always prayed for the believers at Thessalonica. I love that Paul’s relationship with the Thessalonians was reciprocal: “as I pray for you, you pray for me.”  

Now let’s return to the first three verses that I read. In these verses Paul shares three habits that are to characterize a Christian’s relationship with God – JOY, PRAYER & GRATITUDE.

Paul begins in verse 16 with “Rejoice always.” I don’t know about you, but that seems like an impossibility, especially because sometimes life just isn’t joyful; it can downright stink.

Do I rejoice when: I have a car accident; I can’t pay the bills; I get a medical diagnosis; I lose my job; a loved one dies? NO!  And I’m going to let you in on a secret: I tend to be suspicious of those Christians who always have a smile on their faces, always appearing happy or say some Christian platitude about being happy even though I know their day-to-day lives are in shambles. Their claim of blessing or joy just doesn’t ring true as it doesn’t acknowledge the mess.

So then, what is joy really and what does it look like?

So let’s talk about it.

I would like to think about three questions regarding joy:

1. What is joy?
2. Why can we have joy?
3. How does one hold both joy and suffering?

Join me back here for the next post, as we begin with WHAT IS JOY?

Photo by Yosuke Ota on Unsplash