God uses trials to fertilize our growth - 2 Thessalonians

When we recently visited some friends of ours in Pennsylvania we observed some corn that was planted by and grown by the Amish. I don't know what they put on their corn stalks but it was the fourth of July and instead of knee high it was neck high. Three weeks later I hear it is even higher. I don't know what the Amish put on the corn but apparently it is some secret formula they use that affects the plants in such a way it grows the corn in an unusual manner. When we begin to read this little letter Paul wrote to the great Christians in the church at Thessalonica, we read that their faith toward God was growing and their love for each other was growing (1:3-5). We read right after this that this growth spurt was happening during a time of great crisis and suffering. Paul goes on to say that the suffering and the crisis they were dealing with was a result of something God had allowed or brought into their lives. God uses a great type of fertilizer in our lives to make our faith toward Him and our love toward others grow ... it is called suffering and hardships. We are allowed to go through tough times for God because it is used by God to produce love and faith and hope in our hearts. We ought not to shy away from the suffering but rather learn to embrace it as the growth agent it is meant to be. Let's try to rejoice when God uses His special fertilizer on our lives. He is only trying to expand the waistline of our faith and the height of our love.