Glory in This

2 Thessalonians 1:4 KJV

So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

The Apostle, so much rather than grieving over the tribulations these believers experienced, gloried over them because of it. He saw them as

• An example of faith and
• As a testimony to the glory of God

and set them out as examples to the other churches.

We tend today to set as our examples those churches that have it better, those that are large and growing in numbers and seem influential in the world. The Sword of the Lord, for example, has made it clear that those who are invited to speak in their meetings are those who are "building great soul winning churches."  They would not have one to speak who has faithfully served in a difficult field, laboring with a hand full of believers and seeing smaller numbers of professions. We tend instead to question the work of those in difficult soil. We would say "all soil is difficult soil," ignoring the different types of responses Paul received in different areas and the different battles fought in the seven churches.

To be sure, pastors are responsible to learn to serve in their fields effectually. Some of the problems we face are problems of our own making. But ours is not to question the ministry of a church but encourage them for their faithfulness in a difficult situation.

Did you notice toward the end of the chapter that when Paul prayed for them, he didn't pray that it would get easier nor did he pray that they would become a large church? I have found nowhere that Paul prayed for believers to be better soul winners. What he prayed for was that God would fulfill the pleasure of his goodness and that God would be glorified in them.