“你们要靠主常常喜乐！我再说，你们要喜乐！… 主已经近了。” – 腓 4:4-5
在我担任校牧的学院，四月底是快乐的时光。课程已经修完，大考也结束了！许多星期以来所积聚的压力突然间缓解了，我们随处可见笑逐颜开的面孔。
无论在任何境况中，压力得到缓解总能带来会心的微笑和欣喜、甚至是欢乐的庆祝。
神所说的话，以各种形式来表达“要喜乐”的信息，这是最常见的教导之一，你是否感到出乎意料呢？查考圣经索引时，我们虽然不一定时常找到“快乐”（happy）这个单词，但我们若包括要高兴（be glad）、要喜乐（to rejoice）、和要喜悦（to be joyful）等关键词来扩大查考范围，我们便会发觉，这项教导确实经常在圣经中出现。甚至上一代人熟悉的一首喜闻乐见和朗朗上口的歌曲“不要忧虑，要快乐，”也反映出这个圣经中常见的主题。
神不单吩咐我们要喜乐，衪更以衪的灵赐给我们内在的喜乐，这是何等奇妙的恩福啊。圣灵在衪子民的生命中生出喜乐来，不单在他们身处“快乐”的境况时才如此。纵使处在牢狱捆锁之中，保罗和西拉仍然能够喜乐地唱诗（参看使徒行传 16:25-34）。按圣灵而行的人，在任何境况中都能拥有喜乐。
祷告
圣灵啊，我们感谢你，因你不单呼召我们要靠主常常喜乐，你更藉着你的同在，叫我们的生命因耶稣的名而生出喜乐来！阿们。
腓立比书 4:4-9
4你们要靠主常常喜乐，我再说，你们要喜乐！
5当叫众人知道你们谦让的心。主已经近了。
6应当一无挂虑，只要凡事藉着祷告、祈求和感谢，将你们所要的告诉神。
7神所赐出人意外的平安，必在基督耶稣里保守你们的心怀意念。
8弟兄们，我还有未尽的话，凡是真实的、可敬的、公义的、清洁的、可爱的、有美名的，若有什么德行，若有什么称赞，这些事你们都要思念。
9你们在我身上所学习的、所领受的、所听见的、所看见的，这些事你们都要去行，赐平安的神就必与你们同在。
The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Joy
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! . . . The Lord is near.” – Philippians 4:4-5
The end of April is a happy time at the college where I serve as a chaplain. Classes are finished, and final exams are complete! Suddenly stress that has been building for weeks is released, and we see smiling faces all around.
In all kinds of situations, release from stress can lead to smiles and joy and even rejoicing and celebration.
Would you be surprised to know that some variation of “Be happy” is one of the most common instructions to us in God’s Word? While a search of the Bible may not always turn up the word “happy,” when we add the instructions to be glad, to rejoice, and to be joyful, we realize that this command does occur quite often in Scripture. Even the catchy title of a song from a past era, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” is a reflection of this common theme in God’s Word.
What a remarkable blessing it is that God not only commands us to be joyful but also produces joy in us by his Spirit. The Spirit produces joy in the lives of his people not only when they are surrounded by “happy” circumstances. Even while chained in prison, Paul and Silas were able to sing with joy (see Acts 16:25-34). People who walk by the Spirit can find joy in all circumstances.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, we thank you not only for calling us to rejoice in the Lord always, but also for producing that joy in our lives through your presence, in Jesus’ name! Amen.
