I Thessalonians 1:6
6And you became imitators of us and of the Lord when you welcomed the message with the joy of the Holy Spirit, in spite of your great suffering.”
Acts 17:1-10 has Paul and his team visiting Thessalonica. Many Jews and Greeks came to Christ. A nice church was established. However, some in town were upset about what Paul was doing, so they paid some to start a riot. The whole town was in an uproar. They had to escape by night. This is the “great suffering” he’s referring to in the passage.
These new Christians were in a hostile environment. Speaking about Christ was risky. This must have affected many areas of their lives. I imagine some of their friendships suffered. I’m not sure what was normal for friendships back then. Alcohol abuse is always a factor. Back then, they had temple prostitutes. Whatever the case, their friendships must have suffered.
Their business relationships may have also been affected. Some customers may have avoided their services, due to their newfound faith. They have had to learn to trust The Lord for sustenance from early on. This can be very distressing. Some may have abandoned the faith because of it.
The children of the new believers may have been ostracized. This is difficult. They are innocent. It’s tough for parents to witness children affected by their choices.
The Lord understands we are choosing a difficult path. All throughout the bible, His people are ill treated. The prophets were persecuted. Hebrews 11:25 says of Moses, “He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience the fleeting enjoyment of sin.”
Lord, help us to understand and give us the resources to endure.