A Biblical patience has a present focus on God, with a heart that holds fast in his promises for our future. James fully understood the hardships that the 1st century church was enduring. He encouraged them to imitate the disposition of a farmer who laboriously sows with hope and expectation of bountiful harvest, as a model for how to persevere in faith, thus, “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (v8).
With a Pastor’s perspective, James is mindful of our natural human responses when under stresses and miseries. Often we will lash out on those closes to us, even though they may not be the source of our oppression. James reminds them not to complain (nor be irritable) towards each other in light of our own future judgement before God, thus he exhorts, “Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is at the door” (v9). When we give refuge to murmuring about others within our hearts, it will soon give life to sin through our subsequent words and actions (cf., Jam 1:14-15). If we are truly honest with ourselves, we would admit that our grievances for our unfavorable circumstances is not against man, but often (indirectly) against God. It is natural for us to question God within our hearts:
- Why is this happening to me?
- Why are you not doing anything to stop this, O’ Lord?
James does not focus on the problem only. He also offers suffering saints a helpful aid in what it looks like to endure trials patiently. He encourages us to model the faith of those believers that have come before us, thus, “As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord” (v10). His statement is a reference to men like Elijah, Isaiah, and Jeremiah who stood up in the public squares of Israel to declare, “thus saith the Lord” in calling a wayward nation to repentance. They suffered persecution and reviling for their obedience to God by the very people they were trying to help. With patience, they enduring in faith.
James continues, “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” (v11). In other words, Job’s faith is not praised because he never lost his patience. For even he cursed the day of his birth because of how hard his trial was upon his life. James point is his perseverance should be a model for us because he patiently endured, and his faith triumphed in the end. He never lost his hope in God. Like Job’s experience in great difficulty, we must remember that God shows compassion and mercy for his people. We need to be regularly reminded that God has a purpose for our suffering for our good and his glory (Rom 8:28-30).
What then is true blessing in the season of trial? Is it the absence of adversity? No, it is the presence of God within our hardships. To patiently suffer for the sake and cause of Christ is to be blessed, thus James teaches, “…we consider those blessed who remained steadfast…” It is possible he reflected on his time sitting before Jesus hearing his Sermon on the Mount where our Lord defined true blessedness from a Kingdom of God perspective, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. (11) Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mt 5:11-12). Be encouraged to look upon God my friends. Let us always remember, that enduring faith requires a patience with a present focus on God, that holds fast (no matter the circumstances) to his future promises. If God said it, we can trust he will do it! Amen.
Blessings,
Dr. Jason S. Price, Th.D.
www.springoflivingwaters.com