A Place Of Healing!

 

THU Evening Prayer Reflection 120320 (1Thess. 3:1-13)

There are times “When we could bear it no longer!” This is a phrase Paul used to describe the reasons they were remaining in Athens. Presumably, they faced enormous difficulties that restricted their movements. Evidently the Jews were jealous of Paul’s success having had many converts, so they kicked him out of the city and Paul fled many miles south to stay in Athens. In Paul’s heart, he was deeply concerned about the safety and the faith of believers back there. He wanted to encourage them in their faith in the face of a fierce persecution that suddenly separated them. He invites them to a place of healing.

Usually when we are in the middle of suffering, or when we could no longer bear it, we tend to think that God is not paying attention to us. We think God doesn’t care. Paul was so worried that believers were thinking that way because he was forcefully taken from them. Paul was thinking they were discouraged so he wanted to know how they were doing inwardly. Not just knowing how bad the circumstances were, but rather how they are responding to the crisis physically and emotionally. These are the kinds of questions we should be asking to our friends who are in great trials. How are you inwardly? Are you feeling the blues, depressed, downcast?... Encourage them to be strong, to let their faith in Jesus uplift them. Jesus often said to those who were healed that their faith had healed them. Your faith is important in the place of healing!

Sometimes, there are plenty of heavy burdens that occasionally show up in our lives, but also there are some situations that are chronic. Paul prayed many times that such tribulation (which Paul called the messenger of Satan in 2 Cor 12: 8) would be taken from him but the answer from Jesus was: “Paul, my Grace is sufficient for you; my power works best in weakness.” God would deprive us of anything in ourselves that would boast of our own might in the life God has called us to. It is often in the middle of our troubles that God picks us up. We may tell ourselves that we have done well, we are well educated, therefore we are on the way to bliss and happiness, but truly our sufficiency should be in Christ Jesus. Truly, it is in Jesus where our healing resides.

Paul’s point is that these physical ailments and suffering which he calls weakness makes him want to boast about the power of Christ. Because Paul want to continue to die to himself so that Christ may live in him abundantly. One author wrote that: “Any weakness in his flesh will serve to bring God more glory as Paul accepts what God has for him with great trust in his plan and his goodness.” Isn’t this a worthy goal to have? To be in a place of total surrender to God despite the turmoil around us or the pain and sufferings of us or our loved ones.

It may feel like the ground is about to give way, it may feel like we are in a period where nothing is stable or certain, Paul is encouraging his listeners saying that it is through these sufferings and tribulations that we must enter the Kingdom of God. ‘We must through many tribulations enter the Kingdom of God’ (Acts 14:22). The apostle Peter also said: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12-13).

I felt the same: “When I could bear it no longer.” Often when I was in critical moments, I didn't realize how important it is to find a place of healing. Perhaps you have been in this situation sometime in your life like me. We are encouraged to know that this is not abnormal. Those who are followers of Jesus Christ have a different perspective: God is not far from us no matter what we may be going through, Jesus also went through stuff. Bear it a little longer, don’t lose your joy; the joy of God’s Kingdom in the midst of it all. In Jesus is the place of healing... Come in!

Amen.