1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (CEB)

We always thank God for all of you when we mention you constantly in our prayers. This is because we remember your work that comes from faith, your effort that comes from love, and your perseverance that comes from hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father.


Reflection

When sorrow or grief or suffering weighs on us, and we find ourselves struggling with the big unknowns, the big questions that define our need for faith, we can think about what Paul the Apostle has written here. There are things we do not necessarily have a rock-solid understanding of because of our human limitations, like a full understand of the cycle of life and death. Yet, even if we do not fully understand the divine, spiritual realm of that, what do we know?

Well, we know that God is all goodness. We know of the ways that Christ has helped shape and guide us into a better life. We know that the Spirit can inspire and ignite good works in and through us. We can give God thanks for this, when even in the questions we may struggle with, we can give thanks for the way that our faith perseveres, how the love of God in us makes us want to do and be better, the way that our hope gifted to us through the Gospel allows us to not get stuck in our doubts but motivates us to preserve.

Do we know absolutely everything there is to know about God and all of God’s creation? No. Is what we do know about God enough to carry us through the brokenness of humanity? Yes it is.

By Rachel Callender


For Pondering & Prayer

Can you remember a time when your faith, very specifically, was the foundation that kept you together during a difficult time? How did that present itself? Through people? Through generosity? Through scripture? How can you offer that same love to someone else today?

Prayer: Dearest Lord, with you all things are possible. Help us to remember your goodness when things go bad. Amen.