“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing” (2 Thessalonians 1:3).

Our faith can grow. Not only can it grow, it has the power to grow in a hostile environment. These Thessalonians demonstrated that. The more we exercise it the stronger it becomes. In the case of the Thessalonians the faith with which they began was challenged by persecution and local hostility. That they were growing in their faith in spite of opposition caused the Apostle Paul to break out in thanksgiving.

The growth of their faith was matched by a corresponding love for one another. Certainly, our lives are to reflect love for sinners and for our enemies. The love Paul mentioned was their love for each other. One of the outstanding characteristics of the Early Church was the love for each other that they demonstrated to their communities.

Those two characteristics are still evidences that bring thanksgiving. Faith that triumphs over difficult circumstances and love that reaches out to others are still testimonies of spiritual maturity today. When we see those qualities in one another we join Paul in giving thanks.