Patience in Suffering (James 5:7-12 ESV)
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers,[a] 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.
It is truly an incredible thing that one of the fruits of the Spirit is patience. I don’t know about you, but patience is one of the most challenging fruits for me to grow in. In a world that constantly says go, go, go and get it now, it can be difficult to cultivate a spirit of forbearance.
James encourages us once again to remain steadfast. He introduced this theme all the way back in chapter one, and now he concludes with it again in chapter five. But this is not just a general call to patience—it is a specific call to remain anchored in the midst of suffering. We often use the phrase, “when it rains, it pours,” and James challenges us, as followers of Christ, to endure and remain firm during those downpour seasons. When the world wants to run away or point fingers, we are called to stay rooted and remember God’s faithfulness.
As you prepare your heart for this Sunday, begin even now by asking the Lord to reveal the areas of your life where you need to grow in patience. And please pray for me, too, as I prepare to preach the Word.
Blessings to you all,
Pastor Blake
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers,[a] 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.
It is truly an incredible thing that one of the fruits of the Spirit is patience. I don’t know about you, but patience is one of the most challenging fruits for me to grow in. In a world that constantly says go, go, go and get it now, it can be difficult to cultivate a spirit of forbearance.
James encourages us once again to remain steadfast. He introduced this theme all the way back in chapter one, and now he concludes with it again in chapter five. But this is not just a general call to patience—it is a specific call to remain anchored in the midst of suffering. We often use the phrase, “when it rains, it pours,” and James challenges us, as followers of Christ, to endure and remain firm during those downpour seasons. When the world wants to run away or point fingers, we are called to stay rooted and remember God’s faithfulness.
As you prepare your heart for this Sunday, begin even now by asking the Lord to reveal the areas of your life where you need to grow in patience. And please pray for me, too, as I prepare to preach the Word.
Blessings to you all,
Pastor Blake
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