What joy is there when you are being persecuted, when you suffer intensely because of your faith? Paul spells out elsewhere in this book that there is much to be joyful about. In 3:2-3 we're told that these trials got so bad that Paul had sent Timothy to the Thessalonians to strengthen and encourage them in their faith.Īnd yet it is in these circumstances that the Apostle calls the believers in Thessalonica to be joyful always, to pray continually, and to give thanks in all circumstances. In chapter 2:14 Paul again refers to the suffering they endured at the hands of their countrymen.
In 1 Thessalonians 1:6, Paul says that they faced severe suffering. We're told that Jason (at whose house Paul was staying) and others were dragged in front of the city officials, accused of defying Caesar's decrees, and forced to pay a bond.Īnd then we learn from the book of Thessalonians that after Paul left, the believers continued to face great opposition. We are told that while some Jews believed, together with a large number of God-fearing Gentiles and some prominent women, other Jews became jealous and ran Paul out of the city and made life miserable for his companions.
From Acts 17 we learn about the beginning of the church in Thessalonica. When the LORD called the Thessalonians to be joyful always and to give thanks in all circumstances, they were in a pinch. This is a special time of the year.īut what if there is not much of a harvest? What if there is no business coming in, if you lost your job, or if your hours were cut back this past year? What if you faced other personal hardships in your life? How do you maintain an attitude of joy and thanksgiving in difficult times? Is that realistic?
As one who lives in an agricultural community, I delight together with the farmers in the joy and satisfaction of gathering in the harvest. On Thanksgiving Day, we often look back with gratitude on how the LORD has blessed the work of our hands.
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