2 Thessalonians 1

2 Thessalonians 1 (New International Version)
1Paul, Silas[a] and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving and Prayer
3We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
5All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.
11With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. 12We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ

Devotional:
Paul is telling us to pray for and encourage each other but to have patience as we await the return of Jesus. We are to continue to grow in our faith and love each other as Christ loves us.
As we live out our lives we all need a little reassurance and inspiration from time to time. You can help other people to grow in their faith by handing out massive doses of love and encouragement. This builds a determination in them to pick up the pieces and move on and as they are built up they gain a confidence to encourage others.
Know that you are accepted by God and that he has an everlasting love for you. Pray for others to know His love also. However satisfying our life is here on earth you know the best is yet to come.

Prayer: Father thank you for placing Christian friends in my life to encourage me so that I may encourage other Christian friends too. May we all have the ability to inspire others with courage, spirit and hope as we patiently await Christ return. In His name we pray. Amen.