Paul concludes this letter to the church of Thessalonica with a prayer of hope. This young established church of new Christians had faced great opposition and persecution in the one year it had been in existence. Yet through all the severe trials they endured, the Thessalonians remained utterly dependent on God. They pressed into God and continued to flourish and grow in Him.
We have a lot we can learn from these young believers in Christ. The Thessalonians latched hold of the good news of Jesus, turned away from idols, and remained steadfast in the faith. They fought to love others, including their enemies, and committed to serve God despite severe opposition. They remained hopeful, even in persecution, as they patiently waited for Jesus Christ to return for them. They had unfailing faith in God despite their circumstances.
In what situation might you be tempted to doubt God’s faithfulness because of unmet expectations?
We see from the Thessalonian church that despite difficult circumstances, God is so faithful.
Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for He who calls you is faithful. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
In this closing prayer, Paul makes it clear that God is faithful to do all of the heavy lifting when we surrender to Him. The God of the universe is absolutely free to do as He chooses, when He chooses, with whomever He chooses. Yet, He lovingly chooses us!
God is always faithfully at work to accomplish His plans and purposes for His people!
- God established His perfect plan for our salvation through Jesus Christ.
- God pursues us and draws us near to Him.
- At the moment of our salvation, He exchanges our sin for His holiness and righteousness.
- God imparts us with the Holy Spirit to help teach us and transform us to be more like Christ.
- God keeps us blameless and perfect in Him for eternity.
Verse 24 tells us that God will make all of this happen. This is a certainty. There is no doubt. There is no hesitation. God is faithful to do everything that He has said He will do!
When we belong to God, we are His, forever and always! Regardless of what we experience in this life, our standing with God is finalized and unchangeable. We have all of God’s love and devotion. God sees His children as perfectly righteous in Jesus Christ – even on our worst day. We are completely blameless before Him.
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33
The Thessalonians became part of God’s family and were immediately terrorized for their faith. They were loved by God but hated and slandered by those around them. They were God’s chosen but still threatened and murdered.
Instead of allowing persecution and hardships to defeat them, they thrived and flourished in God. They kept their focus on Him. They continued to show love to their haters. They continued to live set apart from the norms of the culture. They continued to serve God faithfully. They remained hopeful in the return of Jesus.
Jesus Christ is our only strength and hope in our ongoing battle with the sin, pain, and brokenness of this world. We can pray and ask God for the same grace and strength that Jesus had which empowers us to love hurtful people and serve Him in hope – no matter what the circumstance.
We, like the Thessalonians, can thrive and grow deeper in the Lord, even in the face of pain and persecution. No matter the circumstances, despite our feelings, we must press hard to love God and people, to serve Him faithfully, and to patiently hope in the coming of Jesus.
As you reflect on your life, where have you seen painful and difficult experiences lead to your deeper relationship and dependence on God?
Peace and grace to you,
Terria serves on the LGG encourager and social media teams. She lives in Virginia with her husband. She is a proud mother of two beautiful girls in college. Her passionate goal is to ignite and empower a generation of millennial women to grab hold of God’s truth and cling to it. She can be tracked down hard at work in busy hospitals listening to patients’ stories, while sharing the lessons and love that God has poured out in her life. Despite the sometimes chaotic circumstances of Terria’s life, God always shows Himself strong and loving.
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Wow, this is so good . . . thank you for sharing these powerful truths and encouraging words with us Terria!
Pauladwynn,
It is an honor and privilege to serve and encourage God’s daughters as we step out into this broken world. Thank you so much! Be blessed! ❤️
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
I month from today my family will start a new adventure in a new ministry 400 mikes from where we are currently living. We are selling our home and thought we had a promising buyer but that fell through yesterday. I woke up worrying and praying over this situation. Then I open my LGG Bible study to find these words…He will surely do it. I am standing on this promise that my God will bring the right buyer for our home at the right time so that we may be free to go and do the ministry He has called us to. I would definitely appreciate all the prayers I can get for this situation.
Lacey,
I am praying with you and for you as you face uncertainty and the unknown. I’m praying that you have God’s favor in all of the details of your move and transition. I also pray that if your plans fail to meet your expectations that you will continue to cling to God’s promises and trust Him with any disappointments. Thank you so much for joining us with this study! ❤️
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
Thanks for such a timely word . Since the death of my son I smile and go through the routine of life . Some days the pain is so deep. I won’t stop serving God . It has caused me to draw closer to God . Through it all I will continue to serve God . I trust Gods plan .
Kieshenna,
You are a warrior…fighting to see God in the midst of pain, clinging through gritted teeth and with clenched fists to hold on to God’s promises! You have a powerful testimony, and I can see you leading an amazing Spirit-filled ministry for heartbroken women whose losses are too painful to bear! I pray God’s peace and comfort overflow your life…until that day your reach heaven and are reunited with him for eternity!❤️
~Terria
Dear Kieshenna, God bless you in your journey each day keeping your faith in God. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your son because I can’t imagine the pain of losing a child. God does get us through and is always there for us. Love in Christ, Carol
Carol,
Thank you for your compassion and for being an amazing godly encourager building up the broken-hearted! Be blessed! ❤️
~Terria (LGG Encourager)