In this most personal of letters from the Apostle Paul, he bears his heart of love to these Thessalonians. In doing so, he affirms these believers as being a community of faith, love and hope. He also reminds them of the calling of God to be a community of shared suffering. Lord willing, we will learn the inevitability of suffering, the way we are to minister to one another in suffering, and the benefits we gain from suffering as Christians. .