DESTINED FOR TRIALS

1 Thessalonians 3:1-61 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless. 6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.

Good news! If you're a Christian, you're destined for trouble. "Huh?" you say. "What kind of good news is that?!"

Well, gospel means "good news," and the good news of salvation through Jesus includes the promise that His followers will share in His suffering before they share in His glory (Romans 8:17).

Those who "sell" Christianity by using the argument that life here on earth will get better and better are misguided. Yes, life will be better in one sense: Believers in Jesus can have confidence that even their suffering has purpose. Their lives, however, will not be better in the sense that they will not suffer.

Some who receive Jesus under false pretenses abandon their faith when trouble comes. Jesus warned of this when He explained the parable of the sower: "The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the Word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word, he quickly falls away" (Matthew 13:20-21).

The apostle Paul was painfully aware of this possibility. He was concerned that new converts in Thessalonica, a prominent first-century Greek seaport not far from Mount Olympus, would see the persecution he experienced and say, "Whoa, that's not what I thought I was getting into. Leave me out of this."

When his concern for the converts was more than he could bear, Paul sent his associate Timothy to check on them. Timothy's report brought great relief to Paul: "In all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-8).

Another apostle, Peter, wrote: "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering" (1 Peter 4:12). His advice is still good. If we follow Jesus we won't avoid all trouble but we will have an excellent companion. --Julie Ackerman Link

DESTINATION POINTS

* In what ways have I suffered for following Jesus?
* In what ways have I suffered for following my own selfish desires?
* Which pattern dominates my life?

LINKS:
http://www.bibleplaces.com/thessalonica.htm

bottom line: Suffering can strengthen your faith or weaken it.

soul journey