That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. 1 Thessalonians 3:3
‘Don’t feel bad about our situation,’ Paul is saying. ‘Don’t be surprised to hear people are chasing us around Greece, throwing rocks at us, trying to destroy us. Appointments with trouble are already in our Daytimers. We told you this would happen. It’s all part of the program.’
‘Welcome this man,’ the Lord told Ananias concerning Paul, ‘for I’m going to show him he must suffer greatly for the sake of the Kingdom,’ (Acts 9:16). This prophecy, given at the very outset of Paul’s ministry, would indeed prove to be true. ‘Blessed be the Father of mercies, the God of comfort,’ Paul would later write to the Corinthians, ‘Who comforts us in our troubles that we may be able to comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received,’ (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
A.W. Tozer was right when he said, ‘Before God can use a person greatly, He must allow that person to be hurt deeply.' This isn’t because God is mean, but because He knows we can’t comfort others unless we’ve been comforted ourselves.
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