Scripture: 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5
That’s why we ourselves are bragging about you in God’s churches. We tell about your endurance and faithfulness in all the harassments and trouble that you have put up with. This shows that God’s judgment is right, and that you will be considered worthy of God’s kingdom for which you are suffering.
Thought for the Day: A while back, I heard a sermon based upon this text that suggested our suffering was a demonstration of God judging us worthy of such harassment and trouble. The sermon implied that when difficulty and pain come our way, we should feel pride because it shows how God deemed us strong enough to endure. I don’t know if I can go there. I would find it very difficult to walk into the hospital room of a suffering mother of three, and say to her, “You should feel pride because God must really believe in you.” If I were to do so, I hope a family member would toss me out of the room. To me, this passage sounds more like a coach giving a halftime speech to a team that was pretty beaten down in the first half. It’s not so much what the scoreboard says but the character of the players who refuse to give up. Endurance and hope and unwavering conviction are attributes of the kingdom, and Paul is telling the church of Thessalonica that its character amidst the harassment and trouble is kingdom worthy.
Prayer: No matter what the world dishes out, Lord God, keep me committed to the attributes of faith, hope and love. May I never, even in desperation, draw upon the tools of the world such as hate, manipulation and violence. Amen.
THIS COMING SUNDAY
