Burned Out?

2 Thessalonians Chapter 3 

Scripture: 

4We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.  

13And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.  

Observation: 

This scripture was written to a body of believers who had thrown their lot in together, to provide for all the needs of the congregation.  The heavily persecuted church gathered refugees of a sort who lost land, wealth and family for following Christ.  Some of them believed the end times to be coming at any moment and so quit their jobs.  So while most were working for the common good, some others were taking advantage - freeloading on the generosity of the church.  The people who lead the church were feeling used, and found this behavior undermining the gospel.  It was a problem big enough to cause them to call on Paul for advice.  His response to them was to put the ones who would not work out of the fellowship - hoping that this would bring them into repentance of their behavior and restore a productive balance.   

Application: 

So what is there in this passage that we can take for ourselves? (Beyond the obvious to work to build up one another and provide for each other's needs.)  I don't know where you are in your journey, but I could make a broad guess that you are feeling tired or weary.  We don't have the style of communities that the first believers did, but the advice Paul gave then applies to us now.   He says to "direct our hearts into God's Love and Christ's perseverance..."  "To never tire of doing what is good."   

This is something that does not spring from our own human nature, but from the Holy Spirit working through us.  It's God's love, and not our own at work here, do you see?  It sees people through HIS eyes and not our own.  It's the kind of love that doesn't give up, but remains steadfast.  If you are feeling beat up, run down and taken advantage of, first check yourself and see if you are connected to the vine, John 15:5  says "I am the vine and you are the branches, apart from me, you can do nothing."  If we are connected to the vine, he will love others and never tired of doing good through us.  He will also speak to us about our relationships and the proper boundaries to put around them so that they can flourish too.                                                                                                                                                           

Prayer: 

Lord, thank you that we don't have to rely on our own resources. Thank you for the love that never gives up, and always works for the good.  Amen.