Periods of prosperity make it easy for us to be happy, hopeful, and content. Those good times often trick us into believing we’re faithfully following Paul’s instructions to “rejoice in the Lord.” But is that true if joy is our response only when life is on the upswing? What about now when plans are disrupted, and the future looks unstable?Test yourself. How much joy is flowing from your heart in these moments? If complaints, worry, and anxiety set the cadence of your thoughts, then maybe it’s time to re-examine what Paul really says in this passage. Nowhere in Scripture are we told to base our contentment on the status of things around us.Paul penned these words from jail, a place that erased his personal comfort, limited his ability to fulfill his mission, and frustrated his goals. Yet, he continued to rejoice. He realized, just as we can, that when all we depend on in this world evaporates, we can still “rejoice in the Lord” because our God never changes. When we anchor ourselves to His immovable nature we can know peace, contentment, and regardless of what happens around us, even joy!