Big Finish

Read James 5:12-20

When I first looked at the final verses of James, I read a commentator who pointed out that James’s final words are, “Don’t swear. Instead, pray. Keep bringing each other back to Truth.” Reading that discouraged me. He might as well have said, “Potato salad. Emeralds. Ford Mustangs”, those three things seem as cohesive as James’s advice.

So, I put my Bible study stuff away, did something else, and came back to the list.

Do not swear.
Pray instead.
Keep bringing each other back to Truth.

And it hit me. He’s talking to people who are suffering, people who are being ostracized and bankrupted because of what they believe. What James is giving them is practical advice for sufferers.

When times get tough, our natural response is to throw up our hands in frustration. We speak out of that frustration, “I swear, if you interrupt me one more time….” “God help me if I have to come down there.” “Oh @#$%!” When we swear, we make ourselves bigger than God by treating His name carelessly, irreverently. Remember, all along, James has been talking to us about humility.

The irony is that, God’s name is what we should be calling when we’re struggling, but not in a potty-mouth tirade. What James tells his readers (and us) is that, when things are bad, pray. When your circumstances are hard, submit yourself to God. And don’t just submit, but expect Him to act and watch for things to change.

There have been times of suffering in my life when I could not stop praying. Maybe no one else would listen to me, or maybe I was just so attuned to my need for deliverance, but I spoke to God throughout my bad season. There have been other tough seasons, however, to which I’ve responded with complete prayerless-ness (my present school year, for instance). Times when I am so overwhelmed and defeated, I can’t articulate a prayer. Thankfully, James tells us we don’t have to pray alone. It is good to share our burdens and to allow others to help carry them.

The other good thing about sharing our sorrows with each other is that it deepens our relationships. As we become closer to other believers, and they see us suffering, they can speak Truth into our lives. We know them, we trust them, and they have “earned the right to be heard.” This is the accountability James steers his readers to as the letter ends.

When a friend is suffering, we can remind them of what is true: You are persecuted, but not abandoned. You are in the hands of a loving God.

When a friend is in bondage to sin, we can help turn them back to what is true: Are you honoring God with this choice? Is this behavior having a positive effect on those around you?

What stands out to me in this conclusion is that our Christian life, though challenging, is not meant to be lived alone. Difficult, frustrating things are going to happen. When they do, we need people to pray with us. When our sin is leading us astray, we need people to call us on it and to steer us back to the Truth.

People just like us.

1. It’s a bit more involved than our usual questions, but I think there’s great value in reading some of Elijah’s account (1 Kings 17-19). In what ways was he just like us? How can that be an encouragement to us?

2. What are some true things you could say to encourage a suffering friend?