Paul wrote II Thessalonians about a year after he wrote the first letter to the Thessalonian believers. During the time between the two letters, the Thessalonians received false reports that the reason they were suffering so greatly was because the day of the Lord had passed and they were experiencing God’s judgment. Paul was inclined to write this second letter to refute these false teachings.
Just like the first letter, II Thessalonians also explains how believers should live while waiting for Christ’s return. We should live expectantly, ready to see Christ’s glorious second coming as described in II Thessalonians 1:7. We should sense a boldness and an urgency surrounding Christ’s return.
One of the teachings Paul explained in this book is that while waiting for Christ, we shouldn’t be idle when we’re supposed to be working. What excuses do I make for not working or not serving God? How can I be less idle and more productive?
God has placed me to work and serve Him in three major ways: as an employee, as a wife/mother and as a BSF leader. After studying the teaching against idleness in II Thessalonians, God has showed me that I am idle as an employee when I spend too much time at work checking my personal e-mail or checking Facebook updates. I am idle as a wife and mother when I don’t efficiently complete my tasks at home. And I am idle as a BSF leader when I rush through my weekly preparations and don’t spend enough time completing my responsibilities. I need to be more productive and efficient in these three areas of my life so I can be a good worker while I anticipate Christ’s return.
While I’m waiting for Christ to return, I will stand firm (II Thessalonians 3:15) and never tire of doing good (II Thessalonians 3:13).