Scripture to Read: 1 Thessalonians 1:3
As we saw in yesterday’s devotion, we are to be thankful for all the believers God has placed in our lives. We are also to pray for each other as believers. In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, God led Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to mention three things that they were constantly reminded of about the believers in Thessalonica. We’ll examine the first one today. First, they were constantly reminded of the believers in Thessalonica’s “work of faith”. Notice God did not lead Paul to write that it was their work for their faith. No one can work for their faith because faith is a gift from God. God gives everyone faith, as a gift from Him, but then everyone must choose where each of us places our faith. As believers, we place our faith (to trust in, to cling to, to rely on) in Christ alone. Our work of faith means we grow in our faith as we trust in, cling to, and rely on Christ even when our circumstances in this may not make sense. God tells us in Philippians 2:12 that we are to “work out your faith with fear and trembling.” Our faith must go through a spiritual workout every day so that we grow in our faith in Christ. If we never face tests, trials, or tribulations in this life, then our faith will never grow, and we will remain immature infants as believers. So, just as the believers in Thessalonica faced their own tests, trials, and persecution through those circumstances their work of faith grew.
Challenge & Application
1. What did God teach you today about how your faith grows?
2. Putting our faith to work helps us see God’s work in our lives. Who will you share Christ with this week?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!