Joyful Forbearance

When things don't go "right" in your life, how do you respond? What relationships in your life have recently changed? How did you react? What other disappointments have you had recently? How have you reacted? Has anyone recently slandered you? How did you react? As we have been studying Philippians 4. The command is for us to "rejoice always" Last week we looked at the things that should be giving us joy, but this week we need to focus on how the believer in Christ can have joy and obey the command. The next verse in vs 5 says "Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;" The word reasonableness has to deal with gentleness or forbearance. How can we be gentle or forbearing when things are not going right? How can we fulfill this command by rejoicing always?