Stressed? Circle back.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

This prayer Paul prayed for a church in distress is important to remember right now. Three pressures teamed up to put the Thessalonian church on edge: 1) They were experiencing increasing eternal persecution (1:4). 2) They were confused by doctrinal misinformation that had muddled their hope in Christ’s return (2:1-2). 3) Some among them had become lazy, mooching gossips straining relationships and resources in the church (3:6-12). That is why this prayer to renew hope in the gospel in their hearts is so important. Pressures can take our eyes off Jesus and all the good things His grace has given us. We are called to circle back to our basic identity.

What is this basic identity as Paul prayed over this church? Three considerations help us understand it. 

• First, WHO has given us our identity? It is our Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father. We don’t get our identity from ourselves or other people. God tells us who we are in Christ. 
• Secondly, WHAT are we given in Christ? God loves us in Christ. God comforts us in Christ. God provides real hope in Christ. God’s grace is poured over us in Christ.
• Thirdly, WHERE is our identity known and shown? God changes and comforts our hearts. He builds us up from the inside out. This is then displayed in what we do and in what we say and in how we do and say those things.

And so, as pressures still feel great today, let us take our comfort, strengthen our hope, and be strong! Persecution need not rattle those comforted and strengthened in Christ. Misinformation will fade in the bright light of the clear standard of God’s Word. Idleness must be rejected as we live out the grace of the gospel.