"But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; for now we really live if you stand firm in the Lord."
For a biblical Christian believer of Jesus Christ, standing firm and holding firmly to the scriptures, holding to the sound doctrine of the faith, sharing the gospel to people in your life and to strangers, and yet you find over time, many of them either reject what good news you've given them, or they have aligned themselves with heretical teachings or teachers. How discouraging and heartbreaking this can be. If this sounds familiar read 1 Thess. 3:6-8, where Paul had become discouraged to continue preaching in his distress. When churches had been unfaithful and given in to sin and yielded to false teachers, the Apostle Paul was distressed by it, and had become depressed, like what happened in the Corinthian church (2 Cor. 7:5,6)
"For even when we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus;"
The good news to Paul came by way of Timothy about the Thessalonians, the true saving faith of them, encouragement was given that strengthen Paul, that they were standing firm in their faith. They were standing firm on the Apostles teachings. Paul was encouraged by their love and remembrance of him, and it strengthened him to continue in the labor of the Lord.
The Thessalonians steadfastness consisted of 3 important points: (These things worked to Paul's encouragement:
1. There faith continued steadfast in the gospel, they stood firm in their faith.
2. Their charity, they loved and helped each other, lived in peace.
3. They were affectionately attached to the Apostle Paul, and had good memories of him and desired to see him.
All these things worked to encourage the Apostle Paul in his work that he did not view his labor as being in vain. 1 Thess. 3:8 ...for now we really live"
"Your steadfastness in the faith gives me new life and comfort; I now feel that I live to some purpose, as my labor in the Lord is not in vain."
To proclaim the gospel and to defend sound teaching is no easy task. Paul's method was to begin by commending what was praiseworthy in the believers, and then to correct what was amiss. A good pattern to all who admonish others.