Bible Study
October 2, 2025 (CSB)
1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 23 (CSB)
“Don’t Worry, Be Happy”
6 “Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Don’t stifle the Spirit. 20 Don’t despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil. 23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Bobby McFerrin wrote a simple song called “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Part of the lyrics are “Don’t worry, Be happy, In every life we have some trouble.” Many would be thankful for “a little trouble” but life does not always give us little trouble. How we handle it makes the difference.
Paul wrote the same thing when he said, “give thanks in everything.” Now I will be the first to say not everything is good but there is good in all things. He told the Romans that in Romans 8:28. How we deal with the issues of life is important.
We all know people who are constant complainers never enjoying a happy moment. Paul says “give thanks.” When we complain and gripe we are giving the adversary an inroad into our lives. In fact, I would equate complaining with evil thoughts and we are told in verse twenty-two to avoid “every kind of evil.” We deal with enough issues to not create additional ones that interfere with our joy.
Paul is saying there are three characteristics of true believers: joy (16), prayer (17), and thanksgiving (18). If we concentrated on those three we have little time to complain. These three characteristics are to be done “constantly.”
If we were to take one day and spend time in prayer, looking for joy and thanksgiving think how much better we all would be – think how much better you would be – I would be. Try it today and then tomorrow.
God Bless.
Asbury Chapel 