Deeper Reflection
FOR THE THESSALONIANS, THE INDICATION OF THE WORD of God “is at work in you” (v.13) was how they imitated God’s churches in Judea in their suffering from their own countrymen (v.14). Suffering is an indication of the Word of God working in our lives. This doesn’t make sense, does it? But this is what the Word of God tells us, however strange it may sound. This “strange” reality presupposes that we seek to live by the Word of God – as it was with the Thessalonians. And closely knitted to this kind of suffering is endurance. The Thessalonians suffered with “endurance inspired by hope” (1 Thess 1:3, NIV). Biblically, suffering and endurance go hand-in-hand, which are necessary for character development toward Christlikeness (Rom 5:3-4; Jas 1:2-3).There is a trial that has been ongoing daily for a long time, and increasingly difficult, for my wife and I. As we seek to “not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb 12:3), we also at times ask, “How long, O Lord?” (Psa 13:1). Recently, I memorised Job 6:11-13: “What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should endure? Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh bronze? Have I any help in me, when resource is driven from me?” This Scripture gives me the Word of God to speak to God about my struggles. But its power enables me to endure.As we suffer with endurance by the Word of God, know that the Word of God is at work in us (see Rom 15:4).