Thursday | James 5:7-12
James 5:7-12
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. 12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
Have you ever heard the phrase “patience is a virtue”? I have. Too many times. Patience is often a struggle and not something we wish to hear (frequently) yet that’s the heart of our text today.
To help us better understand and exhort our lack of patience, James uses the example of a farmer in order to connect fruitfulness. In seasons where we are (or ought to be) growing in patience, we first need to realize that it’s not punishment, but a time where God is molding and shaping us. James’ exhortation to you and me is to establish our hearts. To establish our hearts means to have the courage to persevere knowing that the Lord is at work even in the midst of struggle, chaos, or difficulty.
James offers three encouragements of patience:
Seasons: Life happens in seasons and in times of difficulty or stress, it’s not punishment but refinement.
Fruitfulness: God promises that He would complete the work that He began in you through Christ and as a result, we cannot rush fruitfulness. The objective is not simply to finish the season but to be more like Jesus on the other side.
Faith Not Anxiety: We cling to the promises of God because our hope is anchored in what He has done for us and what He has revealed in His word. That doesn’t mean it’ll be easy, but we have a source where anxiety can be addressed.