Deeper Reflection
SUFFERING SHOULD BE EXPECTED IN BEING PART OF THE kingdom of God: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:10). And it is a divine necessity: “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). What does it mean to suffer for the sake of righteousness? Suffering for righteousness’ sake happens when we suffer unjustly. Living righteously is delightful, but suffering in unjustness is painful. The pain can increase as the suffering in unjustness persists, and then there is the divine silence and inactivity with regards to divine vindication. And as the divine silence and inactivity prolong, we can feel so overwhelming that we begin to wonder about or question the righteousness and justice of God.The “persecutions” and the “afflictions” that the Thessalonians suffered for their faith (1 Thess 1:6; 2:14) persisted (v.4). They were enduring the tribulations with steadfastness, but still apparently, they had been “asking questions about the rationale of their afflictions. Why were they having to suffer so much?”⁶⁰ Paul answers their questions by pointing them to the two-pronged “righteous judgment of God” (v.5): God will “repay with affliction those who afflict you” (v.6) and “grant relief to you who are afflicted” (v.7). But the repayment and the relief may not come any time soon as we wish. They will certainly come “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven” (v.7). Meanwhile, as we persevere on in our suffering, we pray that God will “direct” our hearts “to the perseverance of Christ” (2 Thess 3:5).

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⁶⁰ John R. W. Stott, 140