1 Thessalonians 3:1-13

There are some things about the Christian walk that are difficult while there are other things that are delightful.  The truth is that even that which is difficult may bring about delightful results.  God, in His wisdom, is able to use circumstances that are not necessarily to our liking in order to bring about His will in our lives.  One of the things that God uses to bring about this desired result is our relationships with on another.
THE PRESSURE OF AFFLICTION: Trials and persecutions were a constant companion to Paul and his ministry.  Consequently, they were also a part of the lives of those to whom Paul ministered.  Paul had the spiritual maturity to recognize that this was a part of God’s sovereign plan for his life but he was concerned that some of his followers might not have the same perspective and become discouraged in the face of affliction.  Too often, the deceptive voice of Satan is able to bring doubts into our minds, especially when we are suffering.  God’s desire is to use affliction to make us more like Christ, but when our faith is weak there is a tendency for us to become depressed and lose hope in the face of these adversities.  Paul had deep concerns for the Thessalonian believers because he knew the depth of affliction under which they had to live.  Much to Paul’s delight he learned that they were being faithful and that God was having His way in their lives.  Affliction will either draw us near to God or tempt us to run from His presence.  We must never allow the pressure of affliction to rob us of the hope and joy that God longs to inspire in our lives independent of the circumstance that we might face.
THE PRIVILEGE OF AFFECTION: I think that one of the things that God uses in our lives to grow us through affliction is the affection of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Paul’s deep love for the believers was a motive for his perseverance and also was an encouragement to the objects of His affection.  In like manner, the love of the Thessalonians for Paul served to promote their faithfulness to the Lord and was a source of strength and great joy for Paul.  That is how the body of Christ is designed to work.  Our affection for one another is to be a constant source of hope and help as well as a means of motivation.  There is no place in the body of Christ for us to have cold hearts towards one another.  Our relationships are to be marked with a deep affection and love for one another.  This will make a great contribution to God’s desire to have us stand firm in times of distress.  One of the major factors in being able to stand firm during the pressures face of affliction is the privilege of affection within the body of Christ.

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