Growing in faith despite difficult circumstances

“We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3 NRSVUE)

This is the opening to Paul’s second letter to Christians in Thessalonica. Paul only had a brief visit with the people here during his second trip proclaiming the good news of Jesus.

“And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days argued with them from the scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead and saying, ‘This is the Messiah, Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.’” (Acts 17:2-3)

He was only able to stay for three weeks because of Jewish opposition, so he was rightly concerned about the very new Christians he left behind (we see this in his first letter to them). He was concerned that they stayed faithful to Jesus. Although Paul was not able to be there in person he sent Timothy from Athens to see how the new Christians were doing. Timothy brought a good report of how their faith and love were strong.

Because of this, Paul continued to thank God for these Christians. They were growing in their faith as well is in their love for each other. These were increasing each day. What greater commendation could there be than this: Christians growing closer to Jesus and closer to each other as they spent time together and studied God’s word together.

“Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring.” (2 Thessalonians 1:4)

This group of Christians didn’t have it easy. From the beginning there was persecution, severe enough for Paul to have to leave after his short stay there (read about this in Acts 17 and 1 Thessalonians 3). But they didn’t let the difficulties they were going through turn them away from Jesus. It was because of Jesus that they were suffering but they knew that being faithful to him was worth it, so they endured.

I can’t help but think what Christians today would do if they had to experience what these Christians went through. What would we do? Would we remain faithful when times got hard, when those around us turned against us? Or would we endure what we went through and allow our faith to grow even stronger as we trusted in Jesus? Would we allow the suffering we went through draw us closer to other Christians and allow our love for each other to keep on growing?

They knew who they believed in. They had only been Christians at the most a few weeks when Paul had to leave but they were convinced that Jesus was the Messiah and that he would not forsake them. This was something that Paul used to encourage other Christians – he would brag about this group of young Christians who, despite what they went through, were growing.

“To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfil by his power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12)

Paul must have had a ‘prayer list’ and at the top of that list seems to have been these Christians. He prayed that God would be with them so that the name of Jesus would be glorified in them and they would be glorified in Jesus.

When life gets tough, remember these Christians who were going through a hard time but did not allow anything to shake their faith and resolve in the one who had saved them.

Image created by Jon Galloway using ChatGPT.

Readings for next week: Mark 15-16; 1 Thessalonians 1-5; 2 Thessalonians 1-3