James Part 9: A Call to Patience
As Sam, Luke, and David have been preaching these past weeks, the context of James, as you know, is a letter in practical wisdom addressing the realities of life in a fallen world, encouraging believers to live with integrity, endurance, and faith. James is writing to Christians in the dispersion, scattered and suffering, being severely persecuted and rejected. These six verses are a challenge, exhortation, and encouragement to all believers.
The passage that David read, we're going to start with those six verses, but we'll break them down into four major points. These are: wait patiently, avoid grumbling, endure suffering, and speak honestly.
Number one is "wait patiently," and it begins in chapter 5, verses 7 and 8. If you're not already there in your Bible, please open it to James chapter 5, starting in verses 7 and 8: Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
Patience is a really difficult thing. We often think in terms of being patient in traffic or at the DMV, during an argument with a spouse or friend, or with our kids. Patience in these moments takes significant self-control. God is absolutely calling us to be patient and loving in moments of frustration. He wants us to be patient with our kids, our neighbors, and in every present circumstance, handling it with self-control and patience.
But what about this Scripture? James is not necessarily talking about patience in the moment, although that’s part of it. He writes, "Be patient until the coming of the Lord." What does that mean? It's been a couple of thousand years since this was written, with James exhorting us to be patient as though Jesus is coming any minute—any day, any second, He could come back right now. On the other hand, we are to hold the wisdom of patience through the seasons of life—patience through suffering, enduring through long, hard seasons. He’s talking about a patience that endures.
The analogy James uses is of a farmer waiting for the precious fruit of the earth. Now, I know we have farmers here. I attempted a garden a couple of years ago, and you're going to laugh—it was a complete disaster. We tried as a family to plant tomatoes and other things, but the only thing we ended up getting was a single tomato. While it was still super green, my youngest, Hank, came over and thought it looked cool, so he ripped it right off the vine. We didn't even get to eat it—that was really sad.
As a family, amidst the chaos of day-to-day life, we picked a few weeds, watered the garden a few times, and hoped the sprinklers would be enough. I didn’t talk to a farmer first, but I should have because it wasn't enough water. We weren’t patient; we gave up after a few weeks. The analogy of the farmer waiting for the early and late rain, waiting for the fruit of the earth, is about a long season. It takes time—months and years to cultivate the land and reap a harvest.
James is drawing our eyes off our present circumstances, exhorting us to wait patiently for the coming of the Lord. I remember around this same time last year, Kate and I were under incredible pressure from businesses that had been struggling and losing money for years, constantly feeling like they were on the brink of collapse. I was feeling defeated. We were pacing, praying a lot, trying to cope with the stress. Many nights, I woke up at 3 a.m., fearing what the next day would hold.
Kate and I felt like we were going to lose our house, unable to support my parents, who entrusted us with one of the businesses. I thought I was going to let all our employees down, unable to pay massive bills, drowning in debt. I cried out to God, "What kind of testimony is this? What kind of ministry is this?" Even though it had only been a few years, it felt like an eternity under the constant weight of failure. Every time I thought it couldn’t get worse, it did—more problems, more mistakes, over and over. I kept asking, "Why, God?"
This might sound random, but we have a fig tree in our yard. Around this time last year, I was praying about the tree because I love fresh figs. The year before, it hadn’t produced any, or maybe we just missed the season. I was praying, wrestling with God, not necessarily about figs, but life in general. And God showed up for me in a small, miraculous way. He answered that prayer about the figs, and they began to ripen. It felt like it was just for me. This tree, which I didn’t plant or take care of, started to produce figs, and it seemed like God was using it to show me that He loved me and was with me during that difficult season.
He was saying, "I love you, I care for you. Be patient and trust me. Be patient and know that my will and plan are best for you." My circumstances didn’t change right away—in fact, they got worse. But I could trust Him.
James encourages us to be patient, to establish our hearts for the coming of the Lord. Patience means laying down that perceived sense of control that we hold so tightly to. We'll continue to experience pain, but we can live in it, hoping, trusting, and tasting the fruit that God provides along the way—glimpses of what our future with Him will hold. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Be patient and submit your will to the will of the Father. Come to Jesus and experience His peace and rest, as He promises in Matthew 11:28-30: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Number two: avoid grumbling. This is from verse 9: Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
It's easy to grumble and complain, to vent about those we’re frustrated with. Recently, a really good friend pointed out some sin in my life—grumbling that manifested as venting. I justified it in my mind as innocent, but it was really gossip. I was surprised by how blind I was to it. We need people around us to help us see these things.
James, however, is referring to a deeper, inward grumbling, the kind that doesn’t necessarily manifest in words but in our hearts—bitterness and resentment toward others, our circumstances, and ultimately toward God. Grumbling and complaining are huge problems in our culture. They're so accepted that they’re even admired when disguised as venting, gossip, or ranting.
Grumbling is dangerous because it sets us up as the judge, taking the place of God. James warns us not to grumble because judgment is coming. The Judge is standing at the door, and His return is imminent. This should compel us to examine our hearts and actions very carefully.
Circumstances change with the seasons of life, but we're called to rejoice always, never to grumble, inwardly or outwardly. It’s not about faking it; it’s about trusting in God's plan and rejoicing in His goodness.
To rejoice isn’t ever putting on a face or ignoring the feelings that God has given you—the feelings of pain and sadness that you’re experiencing. Rather, it is remembering that God is good, that He is worthy of all praise, glory, and honor forever, and that He has a good plan for your life. Do not ignore, discount, or shove down feelings of sorrow and pain. These feelings are given by God and are not meant to be suppressed. He wants us to bring these feelings to Him.
Do not stop wrestling with God; continue working through the pain and sorrow. Know that He is carrying us. He is not a distant, aloof, and uncaring Father; He is near—near to the brokenhearted. Rejoice and ask Him for a deeper faith. Rejoice and ask for a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. Do not grow weary, do not be bitter or angry, grumbling and complaining. Rejoice and remember that He is truly our only hope for salvation.
3. Endure Suffering
Verses 10 and 11: "As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 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."
Also, in 1 Peter 2:18-21, Peter says: "Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing when, mindful of God, one endures sorrow while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in His steps."
Each of us has different forms of authority in our lives. We have our spouse, friends, parents, teachers, even our kids, political figures, co-workers, bosses—the list goes on and on. Each of these people influences us every day, in one way or another. Our temptation is often to control, manipulate, lie, or otherwise try to change the people around us. Peter and James are both telling us to stop this.
James writes, “The Lord is compassionate and merciful.” Peter writes to be mindful of God while enduring sorrow and suffering unjustly. Christ suffered for you; obey Him, follow His calling in your life, and endure through the suffering as He has suffered. Remain steadfast, endure suffering, wait on the Lord, and be patient.
When has our anxiety, control, manipulation, or lies ever accomplished the will of God? To endure suffering is to trust God with these things rather than to force our own will. I’m absolutely not saying to be passive—rather, the opposite. Use radical love and strength, brought by Christ’s patient endurance of wrongs done to you, to bring about God’s will in your life and the lives of those around you.
He is our rock and our shield. He is our strength. He will be your defender if you submit and release control of the reins of your life to Him. He will care for you, and He can do a way better job than any of us can do.
I’ve seen over and over my own rebellion and stubbornness towards authority from a young age. I’ve begun more and more to rethink my attitude toward God and those He has put in positions of influence in my life. Considering radical love, with God as your defender rather than yourself, and rejoicing in your weakness and His strength, has a way of turning our thinking upside down.
God is near. His word is living and active, sharper than a two-edged sword. Believe and trust in God as your living defender and Father, full of power, compassion, and mercy. James calls attention to the prophets as examples of patience and endurance in the midst of suffering. The prophets are a fitting example because they were often the individuals who faced depression, persecution, and hardship for faithfully delivering God's message. Despite their suffering, they remained steadfast and patient, trusting in God’s ultimate plan, as we are also called to do.
By pointing to the prophets, James reminds us that suffering is not unusual for the people of God, and we should expect it. Those who serve God faithfully are often called to endure hardship, yet they do so with the assurance that God's purposes are being fulfilled through their perseverance.
James writes, "The prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord." This is significant because it emphasizes the authority and responsibility of the prophets. They were not suffering due to wrongdoing or foolishness, but because they were carrying out their God-given mission. This is an example for us to continue in faithfulness to God's calling, even when it leads to difficulty or oppression.
James moves from the example of the prophets to the example of Job, another figure who endured immense suffering yet remained steadfast and faithful. Steadfastness refers to a perseverance that does not waver in the face of trials. Job’s story is one of extreme loss and suffering—his health, family, and wealth were all taken from him—yet he continued to trust in God.
This is a critical aspect of endurance: it's not just about surviving the suffering, but maintaining faith in God's goodness and character. Yes, Job questioned and wrestled with his circumstances, but he did not abandon his faith in God. James points to Job as a model of steadfastness, encouraging believers to adopt a similar attitude in their trials.
Despite the intense suffering that Job experienced, God's intention was not to bring him harm but to reveal His mercy and compassion. The ending of Job’s story, where God restores and blesses him, is a testament to God's faithfulness to those who endure and remain steadfast.
James wants us to remember that suffering is never meaningless or arbitrary. God's purposes are at work, even in the midst of trials, and His character is one of compassion and mercy. This assurance should strengthen us to endure suffering with patience and hope.
While physical blessings like health and prosperity are not guaranteed in this life, God does promise to provide what we need and, often, the godly desires we ask for. As any good father loves to give good gifts to his children, God is so much more concerned with our character and souls than He is with our comfort.