James 5: 7-12
Being asked to be patient in times of suffering seems like a
contradiction. Often this is the very
time we don’t want to be patient. We
want the trial or difficulty to be over quickly so that we can move onto the
fun and happy moments in life. However,
as I have mentioned in our Bible studies it is in the times of struggle that we
learn the most and lean on God more fervently (or we should be J). In history we find that it’s the persecuted
church which is the church that is flourishing not the one that is just
coasting along in life.
You don’t have to look too far to see persecution happening. This morning I was reading on the Voice of
the Martyrs website (click the following link to read some of the stories Voice of the Martyrs) about people who have
endured the unthinkable for their faith in Christ and yet their faith didn’t waver. It makes you think that if you were in a
similar situation what would you do as a believer. Read the following story about how a
difficult situation was the turnaround in this young believers’ life Indonesia:
An Explosive Change
So James commends us to be patient. In the Greek it goes one step further and
says don’t lose heart. When trials go on
for what seems to be forever James is saying keep going, persevere and don’t give
up. As I write this Hebrews 12:1-3 comes
to mind. We are not the only ones that
have gone through difficult times but there is a cloud of witnesses that have
gone before us who have stood the test of time.
We are to fix our eyes on Jesus and to remember what Jesus went through
at the hands of sinful men. The author
of Hebrews encourages us to not grow weary or lose heart and to take a lesson
out of Jesus’ life.
Sometimes, in the midst of difficulty, we just need to know
that it is not forever. Just as the
farmer waits patiently for the seasons to come and go and then for him to harvest
so are we to be patient. We are called
to stand firm and have a bigger perspective on our situation. The Lord is near! Jesus is coming back and we need to be ready
and be expectant for that time. It is interesting that we are called to stand firm. Not quake in our shoes or hide in a hole. The Greek version says to make stable, set fast, to strengthen, to render constant and to confirm in one’s mind. Does this describe us when we are going through a time of trial? Sometimes our natural go to response is to grumble and complain. We just need to look at the example of the Israelites and how many times they grumbled against God. Some of us would blend in very well with the Israelites in their times of discontentedness. However, we are told not to do it as there is a time of judgement whereby we will be judged on how faithful we were in the time we had on earth. We need to be an example to those around us in our time of hardship. Thankfully we don’t have to go through it alone. God provides in our times of need.
James writes of the prophets who endured intense suffering and yet they remained faithful. He points out Job specifically which shows us what God can do through our tough times and although it may feel long in coming we serve a God who is full of compassion and mercy.
James encourages us to live lives of integrity. We should not be double minded in our dealings with people. James quotes from the Sermon on the Mount in these last verses. (Matthew 5:33-37). Also look at Colossians 3:9-10. We are commended to have a heart that is honest and transparent. Let our yes be yes and our no be no. May we be a reflection of Jesus to those who don’t know Him.
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