When Jesus Returns And Reveals His Glory

Life often confronts us with moments that leave us puzzled and unsettled. In those times we might sigh: “What will things be like when Jesus returns?” Paul answered that question.

And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. 2 Thessalonians 1:7

That promise pulls every struggling believer toward hope. It reminds us that God never loses track of our pain. And He never forgets the people who cling to Him through thick and thin.

I’ve met people who assume that when their life falls apart, they must have disappointed God. Others think that happiness should hover over them every single day.

If sadness or hardship enters their story, they believe that God must have turned away from them. Some carry the idea that God should grant their every request instantly.

Thoughts like these rarely come from Scripture. They grow out of assumptions, not truth. Those who read Hebrews 11 soon notice that deep faith can walk hand-in-hand with deep suffering.

God considered them heroes of the faith. Many of them endured persecution, homelessness, torture, and even death. God honored them, but not because of their circumstances.

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The writer Hebrews, made it clear that they lived by faith. They trusted God no matter how harshly the world treated them. By faith some stood tall, by faith others didn’t.

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection.
Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips.
Others were chained in prisons.
Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword.
Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. Hebrews 11:35-37

Stephen, in Acts 7, preached a Spirit-anointed message, yet he received stones instead of applause. Missionaries throughout history have courageously carried the gospel message to the ungodly.

Many of them encountered violence, rejection, or martyrdom. None of this proved God loved them less. Instead, their stories demonstrate that faithful obedience sometimes invites suffering.

Hope for Believers Who Hurt

Paul knew hardship as much as the next person, and he declared that God would grant relief from suffering. The timing centers on that crucial moment of when Jesus returns. Read verse 7 again.

And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. 2 Thessalonians 1:7

Think about this, in the twinkling of an eye God promises relief, healing, and restoration. We don’t always see them now, but at that time, we will all experience them.

I believe in healing, miracles, and God’s ability to overturn any situation. I’ve rejoiced as I’ve witnessed prayers powerfully answered by nothing less than a miracle.

But I’ve also walked with believers who had prayed with earnest faith and still waited for God to intervene. Since He didn’t give us a formula for healing or other needs, we must trust Him.

Sometimes He lifts our burdens.
Sometimes, He strengthened us to carry them.
And sometimes the burden stays until the day when Jesus returns.

A close friend of mine often said, “When the rapture comes, every believer receives their healing.” He didn’t mean that God doesn’t heal now.

He meant that unanswered longings eventually meet a complete and glorious response. When Jesus returns with His angels, suffering for the Christian will lose its place forever.

When Jesus Returns Suffering will Take on a New Meaning

I know it’s easier said than done, but try not to focus solely on relief. Relief will come when Jesus returns. But at the same time, non-believers will have no relief when Jesus returns.

He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8

Too often, everyone, whether godly or ungodly, tend to question happenings around them. Why do people get killed, especially children? Why do natural disasters happen?

Then we start to hear people, usually non-Christians, begin to blame God. Why do they blame Him? Because He’s easy to blame and He seems non-threatening, at least for the moment.

Paul, however, said when Jesus returns, He will bring judgment on those who refuse to obey Him. Where you and I will enjoy relief from the things of this life, they will suffer for eternity.

They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 2 Thessalonians 1:9

Sometimes we crave escape from our hurts more than we crave the presence of He who holds our future. In the mean time, ask Him to help you minister to those headed towards judgment.

Let Suffering Do Its Work

I don’t know anyone who enjoys suffering. None of us wants pain to remain as a part of our journey. Suffering, in its own way, shapes us, sharpening our faith and strengthening our endurance.

Some believers walk paths that require far more sacrifice than others. God sees every tear and every hidden struggle. He honors those who faithfully carry heavy assignments.

Paul reminded the Thessalonian believers, and us, that no suffering endured for Christ remains unnoticed. God watches, remembers, and honors, promising eternal relief.

Life Application: Live for When Jesus Returns

So what does this truth of Paul’s teaching mean for us today, right now? In the middle of whatever you are going through or carrying, let it speak to you.

It means your story hasn’t stalled. God works in your present, even when you feel stuck.
Your pain hasn’t been wasted. Relief approaches—not because circumstances shift instantly, but because Christ Himself approaches.
Your prayers haven’t disappeared. Let His promised return lift your courage. Let His glory strengthen your perseverance.
Your endurance hasn’t gone unnoticed. Instead of letting suffering push you toward discouragement, let it push you toward Jesus.

You walk a road that leads somewhere. You trust a Savior who keeps every promise. And you wait for a moment when Jesus reveals His glory and welcomes you into a relief that never ends.

Lord, strengthen my endurance, deepen my trust, and guide my heart toward the day when you reveal your glory. I look forward to that day when Jesus returns.

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