Walking Through Life with God
Every season of life has both ups and downs, positive and negative situations. On top of that, there are spiritual powers in this world that are trying to get us to lose hope.
In the midst of difficult seasons, or even persecution, it can be easy to forget that God is still present with us. He does not abandon us in the midst of suffering. Rather, He strengthens us and walks with us through the pain.
The church in Thessalonica experienced a very similar situation. As they were praying for the gospel to spread across their region, they encountered suffering and opposition. Paul writes to the members of these churches to not only encourage them, but to remind them of God’s character.
He tells them first that the Lord is faithful. This means that God doesn’t change—He is consistent in His character. If He was good and merciful yesterday, He will be good and merciful again today.
It also means that He fulfills His promises. God is faithful to do what He says He is going to do. He is not like a human who changes his mind when things get difficult.
Second, Paul tells these believers that God will strengthen them and protect them in the midst of what they’re experiencing. Paul does not tell them they will never experience evil, but rather—that God will be with them in the midst of it.
Because God never changes, He is able to strengthen and protect us through every experience in life. So take some time to thank God for His strength and faithfulness. Ask Him to help you, and to give you confidence in His power.
God is With You
Throughout the Bible, there are various moments when God tells someone to not be afraid. Each one comes at a time when the hearer has every reason to be very afraid.
In one instance, Joshua, the leader of Israel after the death of Moses, was taking the Israelites to their promised land (see: Exodus 3). He was leading over one million people to a place God had promised, and it meant going through some overwhelming and terrifying situations.
In the midst of this, God commanded Joshua to do two things:
Obey the Word of God and, be strong and courageous because the Lord was with them. (See: Joshua 1:7-9)
In Matthew 28, Jesus says something similar just after His resurrection. He is with His eleven disciples and He tells them:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you, and behold, ...