“…for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.”  I Thessalonians 1:7

Affliction. For the Christians in the brand new church at Thessalonica, it was the threat of severe physical pain to them and their friends and family members. They were under Roman rule, and the Roman Empire made an effort to control its citizens through fear. They came up with all kinds of creative and horrific ways to punish people who tested their laws, from burning them alive to feeding them to wild animals. Paul had arrived in Thessalonica with scars on his back from the beating he had received in Philippi. And after establishing the church in Thessalonica, his life had been threatened and he had to flee in the middle of the night. 

This type of affliction is nothing we can even begin to understand. But the Greek word for affliction used here, thlipsis, is not solely used to refer to physical persecution. It also refers to emotional hardships and suffering from temptation. (enduringword.com) These are types of pain that we do know about.     

Life is hard. Obedience to God’s Word is hard. Life is full of affliction.

Paul commends the Christians in the church of Thessalonica because they did not let affliction destroy their faith. They did not give up. They held strong in the “steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1:3) As a matter of fact, they even received the word “with joy.” Joy that could only be made possible with the help of the Holy Spirit.

When the Thessalonians held to their faith, it resulted in an amazing thing. Christians all around the area heard about it and were encouraged. The Thessalonians became examples to believers near and far. Their faith set the world on fire.  

And now, two thousand years later, their faith continues to be an example. Let us be inspired by the very first Christians who remained strong in the face of affliction and received the word with the joy of the Holy Spirit.