1 Thessalonians 3:12 (ESV) … “and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you…”
Whatever the outcome, the desire of Paul’s heart follows: may … your love increase and overflow, may you be blameless and holy in the presence of our God when Christ returns.
Paul acknowledged that the Thessalonians did have love. But as the great proof of the Christ-life in us, love must always be on the increase. It must increase to flood-like proportions. It was to spill over to the other believers in the local church and to everyone else. The love of God through us extends to all, even our enemies.[1]
Times of suffering can be times of selfishness. Persecuted people often become very self-centered and demanding. What life does to us depends on what life finds in us; and nothing reveals the true inner man like the furnace of affliction. Some people build walls in times of trial, and shut themselves off. Others build bridges and draw closer to the Lord and His people. This was Paul’s prayer for these believers, and God answered it: “The charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth” (2 Thes. 1:3).[2]
[1] Larson, K. (2000). I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon (Vol. 9, p. 42). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers. [2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 173–174). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.