Authentic Christianity
What God Blesses

 Thursday July 30, 2009

7Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. 9Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!
 10Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:7-11)

Reflection
James is in his section on suffering.  He first focuses the believers on waiting for the Lord’s return, and that requires the right focus.  He commands those who are going through hardship not to grumble, for we are tempted to be frustrated and impatient with others when we are going through trials.  Then, James reminds the believers of the prophets and uses them as a model of patience.  In the following statement, he now reminds us of a truth we must be convinced of, that those who persevere, are blessed.

This truth is common throughout Scripture:

8″To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
      These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Rev 2:8-11)

The reality of trials is that it seems like we want an easy way out.  No one likes hardship especially when it is longer than what we can tolerate.  Simply put, sometimes all we hear from God is, “hang on”.  It doesn’t make things easier, but we are reminded that those who do, are blessed.

Father, hanging on when life is difficult isn’t easy.  The pain we endure in this world is often seen as beyond possibility.  There is an eternity that awaits us.  Help us to see through the lens of the eternal rather than the eyes of the temporal.