This life is a journey, and the truth is that it isn’t always easy. In fact, it is rarely easy because there are mountains to climb, valleys to cross, storms to endure, and battles to fight. But we can make it because, as the children of God, we never walk this journey alone. God is with us. He will never leave us or forsake us, and He gives us the strength we need to keep on keeping on. He picks us up if we fall, He points us in the right direction if we’re lost, and He holds our hands when we are afraid. It is a journey, but is a journey where our faith will end in the glorious sight of our Savior.
Stand Firm and Hold Fast
Paul reminds us that our strength doesn’t come from ourselves—it comes from God! We’re not standing firm and holding fast by our own strength. We need Jesus. Our encouragement doesn’t come from our circumstances—it comes from God’s grace! Our hope doesn’t rest in what we can do but in what He has already done!
The Sacred Trust
Author Steven Covey is credited with coining the phrase, “The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing.” For Paul, the main thing, above every other thing, was the Gospel. It is significant that in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-9, Paul refers to the “gospel” four times. In Biblical interpretation, when a writer repeats a word, it usually indicates that he is emphasizing that point, and the point for Paul was that he and his team preached the Gospel in Thessalonica, and through the Gospel, a church was established.