In 1 Thessalonians 3:6, Paul writes in his letter: “Timothy has just now come and brought us good news about your faith and love (work produced by faith, labor prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope in the Lord Jesus Christ – 1 Thess. 1:3). And then he says, “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. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?”
Encouragement and joy from seeing our brothers and sisters in Christ be a testimony of Jesus as they serve Him and stand firm in the Lord. Joy is something Paul continually chooses to find in the midst of distress and persecution. Which leads me to ask, do we do the same thing? In our distress, do we just focus on the challenges, or do we follow it with how God continues to hold us up? Do we seek joy in the Lord? Your life is not defined by what you are going through, but by who you are in Christ.
I’ve been reading and re-reading these verses – like a billboard you pass every day, an advertisement or inspirational phrase. And you read the message each time, maybe to be sure you are getting the full meaning, or maybe to be sure the details stick with you, and yet somehow each time you see it, it’s as though you’re reading it for the first time. Don’t stop reading it. Stay in God’s Word and do not lose hope: “Endurance inspired by hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.”