When was the last time you received a letter of encouragement? Actually, when was the last time you received a hand written letter in the mail? With the onslaught of technology (email, text, and dm’s) we do not take the time to actually sit down and write someone an encouraging letter anymore. As I read 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 today, I wondered…how would I feel and respond if this was a letter actually written to me?
1 From Paul, Silas, and Timothy- To (your name) the people of the church in (your town) Thessalonica, who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be yours.
2 We always thank God for you (your name) all and mention you in our prayers.
3 For we remember before our God and Father how you (your name) put your faith into practice, how your love made you work so hard, and how your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ is firm.
4 Our friends, (your name), we know that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own.
5 For we brought the Good News to you, not with words only, but also with power and the Holy Spirit, and with complete conviction of its truth. You know how we lived when we were with you; it was for your own good.
6 You imitated us and the Lord; and even though you suffered much, you received the message with the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit.
7 So (your name) you became an example to all believers in (your town) Macedonia and Achaia.
8 For not only did the message about the Lord go out from you throughout (your town) Macedonia and Achaia, but the news about your faith in God has gone everywhere. There is nothing the that we need to say.
9 All those people speak about how you received us when we visited you, and how you turned away from idol to God, to serve the true and living God
10 and to wait for his Son to come from heaven- his Son Jesus, whom he raised from death and who rescues us from God’s anger that is coming.
Read the above 10 verses and personalise it with your name and town. How do you respond if this passage was written to you and about you? I felt encouraged and blessed. I don’t think we look at our spiritual life often enough and reflect on how we impact others. It is easy to look at it negatively and realise we do not do enough. But, I think these verses made me stop and take a look at what people might see and how I impact them when I am putting my trust in God in all circumstances.
I have the ability to reflect God to others when I am facing challenging things in my life. They see how I act and respond to hard situations. This passage in 1 Thessalonians emphasises how the early believers imitated their leaders and the Lord himself. It tells of their power to endure, to choose joy and to hold onto hope when the world around them was dark. This is no different than our world today. We have the choice to take hold of our faith and show those around us that our faith is rooted in the power of God himself.
We all need encouragement to walk daily through this life on earth. Take a moment and read this passage with your name inserted. Let the words encourage you and bless you today. May they give you strength to keep seeking God in all your circumstances and sharing His love with all you encounter.