Don’t Grow Weary in Doing Good

A Few Thoughts to Consider

Do you ever get tired of doing the right thing?

As Daniel Henderson says, “The hardest thing about the Christian life is that it is so daily.”[1] Sensing this struggle among the Thessalonian believers, Paul writes them a second letter to encourage, clarify, and correct misunderstandings about the timing of Christ's return, warning them not to be deceived by false claims.

Though this book is short, it packs a powerful punch. As N.T. Wright notes, “This letter is often squeezed to one side by people who study Paul, in favour of the more obvious texts such as Romans and Galatians. But if it was the only piece of Paul that we had, we would still have quite a substantial picture of his ministry, his prayer, his thinking and his passion.”^[2]

As Howard Marshall writes, “The language and contents of the second letter are so close to those of 1 Thessalonians as to suggest that it was written not long afterwards.”^[3] However, it seems that outside opposition has only increased, and some of this seems to be directed at Paul. Marshall writes, “This increase in opposition may have been part of the reason why a group developed in the church who believed that they were living in the very last days. They claimed support for this belief from some kind of statement which purported to come from Paul himself.”^[4]

Rather than getting angry, Paul sticks with the gentle tone in his first letter to the Thessalonians and encourages them. He writes in 2 Thessalonians 2:15, “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold to the traditions you were taught, whether by what we said or what we wrote.” In 2 Thessalonians 3:3, Paul adds, “But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” And in 2 Thessalonians 3:13, he adds, “Do not grow weary in doing good.”

In other words, don’t get so wrapped up in all that is wrong with the world that you fail to see what is right with God.