Selfless Suffering and Love

Paul's confidence in the sovereign, electing love of God does not make him complacent or diminish his love or his prayers for the Thessalonian believers. Nor does it stop him acknowledging the very real and powerful opposition of the evil one. Instead, it spurs him on making him all the more eager to learn of their faith, even if this would come at great cost to himself. Such is the manner of the love of God at work in Paul. There is plenty enough both externally and within ourselves to tempt and hinder us from loving in this way. By the grace of God may we resist those opposing forces and, as the writer of Hebrews exhorts us, let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.