…so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them.
1 Thessalonians 3:3 NIV
Not Moved by Afflictions
Traditionally, Indigenous Peoples in Canada used healing practices that were (and are) place based and shaped by the needs of the people living in those territories. For example, Inuit had numerous treatments related to frost bite and hypothermia. The natural environment shaped the medical expertise and practices used by Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous modes of healing eventually adapted to the arrival of Europeans with their various diseases. Indigenous communities reacted to disease very differently, and these responses varied over time and geography.
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Every one of us is facing a trial at one point or another. It might be an illness, the loss of a job, a crisis in the family, or an opposition to our faith in Jesus Christ. Whatever the trial, this is the time we need to stand firmly, trusting God, and grateful for other believers He sends our way. In writing to the believers at Thessalonica, Paul expresses his desire to be with them, to stand with them during difficult times. Unable to do so, he sends Timothy to encourage them, and he explains why in 1 Thessalonians 3:3: “…so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them.” Trials can rock our world, and if we don’t draw closer to Jesus, they can rock our faith. God uses trials to deepen our trust, refine our character, and anchor us more firmly in Christ. When the ground beneath us shakes, we discover what, or rather whom, we are truly standing on. When we are standing on Jesus, we will not fall. Today, if you find yourself facing difficulty, take heart. God is with you and at work, shaping you for His glory.
These have been words from the heart.
Bob Beasley