EXPAND TO READ: 1 THESSALONIANS 4 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verses 11-12): My life has been pretty scattered and random at times with the way I walk in this life. Paul tells the Thessalonians that they should seek to lead a quiet life, to mind their own business, and to work with their own hands so that they may walk properly in the presence of outsiders and without dependence on anyone. Although I have lived in a way that is not dependent on anyone but myself, the missing part in my life has often been You. I have often failed to live in a way that I am walking with and dependent on You. I have often lived in a way that I am not using my own hands for the works You’ve charged me with. I have often failed to live a humble life. I have often failed to mind my own business with regards to matters that do not concern me or that You have not weighed heavily on my spirit. Forgive me for these, Father. Forgive me for failing so much in my life in pleasing You with my spiritual journey. Keep convicting me, keep teaching me, keep providing good counsel to me, and keep introducing me to other Godly men to embrace this life righteously as You want me to.
PROMISE (verse 17): This is the promise of Jesus’ return and the rapture of His followers. This is such an amazing promise that gives hope for the future in such a very broken world filled with turmoil, grief, pain, and suffering due to our own mistakes. I do not know when this will happen as my timing is no where near God’s timing, but I am grateful that it will happen on day. When it does, I look forward to the reuniting of Your people together in Your kingdom on earth, celebrating the joy You have given us while in the flesh. Thank You for this amazing promise of Jesus’ return to us and our ascending to You, Father.
ATTITUDE (verse 11): Although the HCSB translation says to lead a quiet life, I truly feel the intent behind this statement is that we are to live a humble life, always glorifying Your kingdom in what we say and do. I do struggle with living in an attitude of humility quite often. I do dig into prideful ways quite a bit, instead of simply embracing the humility You want me to live in. Help me to be better at knowing when I’ve crossed the line from being humble to being prideful, Father. Keep shining a light on the things in my life that I need to fix in order to truly live a quiet, humble life for You and not for myself.
COMMAND (verses 9-10): This is not only the reiteration of a command, but I also see it as an emphasis on it. Paul says that we have already been taught by God to love one another. Then he proceeds to say that although the Thessalonians are doing this, they must do so even more! Whenever you repeat Yourself, I feel that the emphasis is put there to ensure I am actually getting what You are trying to say to me. You want me to show more love towards others than I have been. You want me to share the love that You have gracefully shown me throughout the years to all those around me, regardless of a differing opinion or lifestyle. Although I am called to detest the sins, I am called to love my neighbor as myself as well. Just because I do not like something someone is doing doesn’t mean I am to love them any less as a result. Help me to be better at following this command, Father. Help me to be better at allowing Your love for me to fill me fully and to eventually overflow out of me so much that all those around me can experience the love that only You can offer.
EXAMPLE (verses 7-8): You have not called me to impurity, rather to sanctification. If I reject this then I am not rejecting man but I am rejecting You who gave me the Holy Spirit. This is a simple statement that Paul wrote to the Thessalonians concerning the topic of sin. By accepting sinful and impure ways in my own life, I am in no way rejecting those around me; rather I am rejecting You who has blessed me with so much love and grace in my life. This comparison that Paul has given to the Thessalonians of where their focus should be also speaks loudly to me as I have often focused on man’s opinions of me instead of Yours. Please help me to be better at placing my intent for pleasing someone into You and not into man, Father. Help me to live in this example Paul gives for the sanctification of myself and those around me and not for the pleasure of mankind.
*DAILY NOTE: Paul has a good way of coming right at people without it feeling like a deep wound is being inflicted. Today’s scripture seemed to be right on-par with that. He did boldly go after the Thessalonians by encouraging them to work harder towards love and sanctification than they are currently doing. He affirmed that they are doing this but encouraged them to do so much more. I often see this in my life as well. I feel like I am doing good at something for Your glory, then I feel You telling me that I can do so much more if I just lean on Your strength and wisdom even more than I have been. Help me to continue to move forward in my spiritual journey, Father. I know I have strayed from Your path frequently in the past, but I do ask that You help me to maintain my consistency in my faith more so now than ever as I do want to continue in this new identity You have blessed me with. Thank You for the great conversation today, Father.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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