Reading
2 Thessalonians 3:4
And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
Discussion
Right after Paul tells us that the Lord is the one who "stablish[es]" and "keep[s]" us, he makes a connection to our walk with others. Because God is the one keeping us, we can have "confidence in the Lord" when it comes to our brothers and sisters. If we were just looking at human nature, we’d probably be worried about whether our Christian friends or family will stay the course. But Paul doesn't put his hope in the Thessalonians' willpower: he puts it in the Lord’s power over them.
That changes how we hear "the things which we command you." Paul wasn't offering personal opinions or a list of good ideas. He wrote as an apostle under the Holy Spirit's leading: these commands were Scripture. And here's what makes that encouraging rather than heavy: the same Lord who gave us these commands is the one who enables us to follow them. Paul can say they "both do and will do" these things because the Savior doesn't hand us a rulebook and walk away. He stays to help us live it out.
We don't have to white-knuckle our way through obedience, wondering if we'll have enough left in us to keep going. The Lord who is faithful to keep us is also at work in us, moving us toward the very things He commands.
And then we can carry that same confidence outward. The people we love, the ones we lead or walk alongside: we don't have to manage their spiritual health with constant anxiety. We can speak the truth, point them to the Word, and trust that the Lord is just as faithful to finish the work in them as He is in us.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, forgive us for the times we rely on our own strength and even push others to obey Your word. We should be faithfully teaching and let You work it out. Thank You for Your Word and for the grace You give us to follow it. Help us to stop worrying about the people in our lives and to start trusting Your work in them—having confidence in You.
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Created and refined by JerryS on April 15, 2026 using digital tools. Concept, writing, editing, and formatting by JerryS. For conservative Christian devotional purposes only.
