First Thessalonians 3:1-4: Destined to Suffer
Yesterday, we looked at Paul’s longing to know what was going on in Thessalonica. In that post, we considered our own desires to know what is going on in the lives of those we have not been in contact with for a long time. Paul has been away from Thessalonica for a few months and it has been an agonizing experience not knowing all that is transpiring.
Today, we will look more closely at Paul’s purpose in sending Timothy and his reminder to them about what to expect in this life.
1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone, 2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith, 3 that no one be moved by these afflictions.
Paul, knowing that life was difficult for the Thessalonians and that it would probably only be increasingly so, sends Timothy to be an encouragement to them. Timothy’s purpose was to help them become like large boulders that could withstand the onslaught of the wind, waves and earthquakes of enemy attacks. That immovable quality would only come as they were more firmly cemented in the gospel of Christ.
It’s not that the wind, waves and earthquakes of affliction don’t chill, strike and shake us to the core, but the more grounded we are in Jesus (the more we understand his power, his strength, his love, his care and his providential hand), the more we can stand solid in our faith as hardships come upon us.
Now Paul reminds them that these afflictions were to be expected:
For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. 4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.
Notice that Paul says, “We kept telling you beforehand…” It seems that a constant part of his ministry to them was getting them ready to endure suffering. This sounds a lot like Jesus who told his disciples multiple times what would happen so that they would be prepared (Matt 24:25; John 13:19).
We are promised over and over in the Bible that our lives will be riddled with suffering of various kinds. But Paul says something that is perhaps shocking: we are destined for affliction. It is our destiny. But don’t think of this as a blind destiny, it’s a destiny designed by our good God.
Now that may shake us a bit but how might knowing this help us? Let me suggest three ways this is helpful knowledge.
It helps us to trust the one who told us. Often suffering causes us to question God’s love and care for us. But if we think about it, out of his love and care for us, he has told us beforehand so that we may have joy in the midst of trial. His word has proven true to us! As Peter says, we don’t need to be surprised by this. Instead, especially when we suffer for the sake of the gospel, we should rejoice that we are counted worthy to do so according to his will (Acts 5:41)!
So instead of suffering bringing God into question, it really should lead us to trust his word even more because it is exactly what he promised would happen.
It helps us to prepare for it. Have you ever seen those slap competitions where guys stand across a table from each other and try to knock the other guy out with one slap? They take turns hitting each other as hard as they can in the face.1 The one about to receive the slap readies himself for the blow. He knows it’s coming but he’s not sure just how bad it’s going to be. He grabs hold of the table and steadies himself in preparation for impact. Perhaps one of the worst strategies would be to believe the slap is not coming.
We are promised the slap of affliction in this life. It comes in different forms, but it comes. Perhaps we can be naive and think that God would never allow us to endure great suffering in this life on account of the gospel. But if we understand that affliction in this life is something we are destined for, we can prepare by establishing our lives in Christ all the more. If we wait for the suffering to show up and then try to prepare, that would be like preparing for the slap after you get hit.
Timothy’s job was to help the Thessalonians become like boulders so that, though they may face great affliction, they will not be moved in the midst of it. Immersing ourselves in the life of Christ through the Scriptures, prayer and fellowship strengthens us and braces us for the coming impact of our suffering.
It helps us know where to run in times of suffering. Jesus was also destined to suffer. The prophets had spoken about it for centuries and Jesus knew that this would be his experience on earth. His whole life was a life of affliction that culminated in him suffering the infinite wrath of God. He knows more about suffering than we can truly fathom.
He was destined to suffer and so are we. We walk in the footsteps of our savior. Thankfully he has walked for us where we never have to. He is not blind to our pain and misery. Rather, he actually uses it for our good and his glory. We can run to him to find help in our time of need.
Our savior was not only faithful in his mission, he continues to be faithful to us in all circumstances.
1 Don't ever do this.