1 Thessalonians 3 - Suffering trials

Paul was so keen to hear how the Thessalonians were doing that he decided the best way to achieve this was to send Timothy. Perhaps agitators had been telling the Thessalonians that Paul didn't really care about them and only sent Timothy as a sop. This was in no way the case. Paul did care deeply about them, and Timothy was a fellow servant of the gospel and highly respected. When trials happen rumours and wrong ideas will abound. So Paul is seeking to deal with this. Trials are a normal part of the the Christian life. The notion that if only we had enough faith, or prayed enough, or whatever then everything would be fine and easy is complete nonsense and a dangerous false teaching. The truth is that we will face trials (Jesus said so, Paul said so, Peter said so, James said so, case closed), and the truth is that in all things we are more than conquerors. Paul was concerned that the Thessalonians had been tempted away from the faith.

But now Timothy had returned and had brought very good news about their faith and love. Communication is vital. He brought good news about their love for Paul. Notice the importance of two way caring. Relationships within the body matter. So this encouraged Paul in the persecutions he was facing. He was encouraged by the news that the work he was doing (or that Christ was doing through him) was bearing lasting fruit. 

So we see that the focus of Paul's joy and happiness was seeing the gospel bear fruit. We need to be careful where the focus of our joy is. Paul continues to pray all the more earnestly for them, to be able to see them, and to be able to build them up.

He then continues in prayer, asking for the opportunity to see the Thessalonians, to see their love increase, to be strengthened in their hearts. So that they be presented holy and blameless to Christ when He returns. Notice that each chapter so far has ended with a reference to the return of Christ. Now the chapter numbers were put centuries later, but the references to Christ's return sort of mark the end of various sections.