So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.

Have you ever been in a situation where, no matter what you tried, you were rebuffed in your objective? Probably the most clear picture of this in my life was when I was five years into my insurance career. I had an owner drastically change my contract and include unenforceable and egregious terms. After three months of unsuccessful negotiations, I could not sign it, knowing I would not be able to keep it. So I began looking for another job.

I happened to find one that looked perfect. It was in risk management at an international engineering and general contracting firm. The hiring manager knew me, and said I was clearly the best candidate and he would hire me. So I resigned from my position, went on vacation, and came back ready to work.

The only problem was, while I was gone someone else with more experience took the job. So I was now out of work. Thinking God wanted me to go into risk management, I applied across the country. And I think about five times I got to the final interview and then the door was slammed in my face. It seemed like work, which I had never had a hard time finding, was eluding me.  This was the case for eight months.  

In a related way, Paul’s work was to visit and encourage the churches he started and to build new churches. It appears he tried, tried again, and then again and again to get over to the Thessalonians; but he was blocked. And so he went to Plan B. He sent Timothy, his understudy, or son in the faith, to meet with them.  

He had been praying for this church all the time; and he wanted to see the progress in their faith, encourage them, and join them in their ministry. But trials and persecution stopped him. So he trusted God with another path. He sent Timothy. And now this letter is a follow-up to that visit.

What he is trying to communicate here is that they are very important to him. He was not delegating a visit to someone else without trying over and over again to see them directly.

Sometimes, people get their feelings hurt when we cannot give them the direct attention they expect. And so, we may need to reassure them that we are a faithful friend, who really does care for them. This is what Paul was doing here. He was working on repairing the relationship, even though, technically, he had done nothing wrong.

Who do I need to repair the relationship with today? 

Lord, thank you for giving me insight in this passage on how to build back the trust in a damaged relationship (regardless of whose fault it is). Thank you for Paul’s loving heart. It shows clearly here. May the love you give me shine out of my heart too, and radically impact others.  Your love is deeper, wider, longer, and higher that anything else in this world!