God be Glorified

2 Thessalonians 1

English Standard Version (ESV)

Greeting

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving

³ We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. ⁴ Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

The Judgment at Christ's Coming

⁵ This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— ⁶ since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷ and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels ⁸ in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.⁹ They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, ¹⁰ when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. ¹¹ To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, ¹² so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Thessalonian church has two books written to them. The first book dealt with claims that the second coming of Christ had already occurred, people not working or being industrious, and commending the church on looking forward to the day that Christ would come. In the second letter, Paul talks about how the churches persecutions and trials are making them ready. God is working in the present day to fulfill the good works He wants the Thessonalonian church to do. He doesn't start off by reprimanding them for continuing to have bad theology, which he had just taught them not to have in the last letter. Yet he looks at their present struggles and asks them to look to God's glory in the present day. 

I have recently been going through several struggles. I have needed to revamp my bad theology. One of the ways that God has been working in me is by not looking at the "blessings" I feel He should give me, but instead looking at the promises He made and the good things He has given me. God is doing a great work in me... presently... So that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified...

Father, I want you to be glorified. Change my mind, my focus from present struggles and things You have never promised me. Reveal Your promises and hope to me. May I love others in my church, my family, and my work with a love that is clearly from You. Grant me grace. Amen.