To Encourage You

James 5:13 “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.”

When you read the Bible, do you realize that it is actually the God of the universe that is speaking to you in a very personal way?  Do you realize that it’s a message coming from the One Who made you and He’s saying things to you that you really need to hear?  And do you realize that of all the things that anyone could ever say to you, the things that God is saying to you are the best possible things you could ever be told?  

Throughout the Bible we hear God calling His message “the gospel.” It’s a word that means “the good news.”  It’s good because God is good, and anything that comes from Him is good in every possible way.  It is such thoughts that should motivate us to want to read His Word, for who doesn’t want to hear about something that is truly good – and not just good in a general sense, but good for you and me personally.  They are words that are meant to help us. They are words that can wash our minds of all the evil and negative things that try to invade them every day.  And they are words that help us to “not be conformed to this world, but (to) be transformed by the renewal of (our) mind, that by testing (we) may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).  

So, in the short passage above we have one such example.  Although the words were written down by James specifically “to the Twelve tribes in the Dispersion” (James 1:1), they were breathed out by God through James and directed to any follower of Christ who might read them.  And so, we have God saying to us, is ANYONE among you suffering?  In other words, are YOU suffering?  In the words of Elizabeth Elliott, “suffering” can be defined as “having what you don’t want or wanting what you don’t have.”  So, does that describe anything in your life right now?  You’ll probably not have to think really hard to come up with an answer.  So, what is the God of the universe telling you to do about it? What is He telling you about that suffering that is currently a part of your life?  He’s telling you to talk to Him about it. He’s telling you to bring it to Him in prayer.  He’s telling you this because you need this.  He’s telling you this because it’s for your benefit, for that thing, whatever it is, is an opportunity to point you to Him.  That’s the main reason for it. That’s always why suffering is allowed to touch our lives. You’re not an exception to this Truth.  

You see, God could keep you from suffering, if that was best for you and the others in your life.  But there’s a purpose in it. It’s all being guided in a way that is best for us under the sovereign hand of a loving God.  And for that purpose to be fully realized, we need our focus to be on Him.  Lean hard on Him. Talk to Him.  Ask Him whatever you want to ask of Him.  Tell Him whatever is on your heart.  And then wait for Him. Trust Him. Learn from Him.  

Might our attitude be as that of the psalmist who said, “in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly” (Psalm 5:3).  He waited expectantly because he knew that God truly heard Him, and that He would respond to Him in a way that was truly good.