Be Patient In Adversity

James 5:11 And we say that those who accepted their troubles with patience now have God’s blessing. You have heard about Job’s patience. You know that after all his troubles, the Lord helped him. This shows that the Lord is full of mercy and is kind.

What adversity are you facing right in this moment? What is it that’s eating away at you, draining you of your zest for life? And how well, pray tell, are you handling it?

Some people seem, on the outside at least, to have an idyllic life. Yet unbeknown to the rest of us, they’re plagued with an emptiness, a deep dissatisfaction that they can’t quite explain.

Whilst others … well, it looks to the rest of us as though their lives are a complete mess. Yet they appear to have a quiet peace about them. They smile rather more than they should. There’s some deep inner joy that, in human terms at least, is really quite inexplicable. How can that be?

James 5:11 And we say that those who accepted their troubles with patience now have God’s blessing. You have heard about Job’s patience. You know that after all his troubles, the Lord helped him. This shows that the Lord is full of mercy and is kind.

Accepting your troubles with patience; that’s a big ask, but James in writing to these persecuted Christians scattered across the known world cites clear evidence, pointing back to the terrible troubles that Job faced in the Old Testament. Terrible troubles!

And what did God do? The Lord helped him in a big way (if you know the story) which is clear evidence that the Lord our God is full of mercy and kindness.

How can you be patient amidst your adversity? By experiencing firsthand the deep truth that God is indeed merciful and kind. And in that place, there is joy, there is patience, there is peace, there is … His blessing. Be patient.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.