There are going to be times when you have nothing left to give, and the people around you are demanding more. You will be at your wits’ end because you have given so much already. Jesus wants to let you know that you can increase in love. He wants you to abound in it for all people.
1 Thessalonians 3:12
“and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;”
Paul’s Prayer
This section of First Thessalonians is a prayer that Paul has or the church there. He wants them to increase in love. It’s not that they lacked in love, but the opposite, they had great love for others. This may seem strange because it seems like they got that area covered. Shouldn’t Paul be focusing on something else? This shows us that we never stop growing in this area.
Doing a Good Work
Sometimes the greatest show of love is not affection but sacrifice. Paul was in Athens with Silas and Timothy, and it was tough going, but they still sent Timothy to go and minister to the church in Thessalonica. Now he is back with an excellent report of what God is doing there, and Paul is asking for them to increase in love. He didn’t want the church to become complacent. They were doing a good work and he wanted them to continue.
Increase in Love
We can all increase our love for one another. There is no limit to how much we can show it. It takes all different forms and is often different for different people. We need to ask God to increase our capacity to do so. When we think we run empty or can’t give anymore, we need to draw from the source of our love, Jesus Christ. Tap into that stream of living water and let it refill you.