James 5:7 “Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.”
Coming back to an environment with seasons has been refreshing in many ways. I confess that most of the time I am chilled to the bone now, but even living in layers of clothing has a certain comfort. There is a sense of expectation that comes with watching the trees turn colors and the seasonal decorations anticipating the coming holidays.
However, this verse from James touched me profoundly this week for another reason. You see, I know so many friends right now who desperately need the sustaining patience only God can provide to get them through their season that is in between the rains. The spring rains come; the farmer plants, but sometimes the wait until the latter rains can seem interminable.
That project that is halfway through and seems hopelessly stalled…
That child who has turned away from the family or God, and all you can do is beg the Father for mercy…That relationship that has been neglected for so long that it seems easier to walk away from, than to do the monumental task to rebuild…That final semester of all the classes when it seems you have been in school forever…My precious friends around the world who are fighting for their lives against the horror that is cancer, chemo, radiation, and fear-filled words like malignancy…
To all of us who do not feel we are currently living under the “showers of blessing”, this verse reminded me that the rains will come. As the writer of Hebrews says, “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” Heb. 10:36
How can you endure when the suffering seems too long? This is not a post advocating singing in prison, rejoicing in trials, etc. Yes, those verses are in scripture and are truth and will help you to be an overcomer. If you have the strength- by all means sing!
This post is an acknowledgement that there are times when our strength and hope are gone, and the best that we can do is endure. The same Paul who “brought the house down” singing in the jail with Silas, also wrote 2 Corinthians 1:8-9. “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.”
There is also scriptural support for the following methods of coping:
Honestly tell God specifically what you need at this moment!
In the model prayer (Lord’s Prayer) Jesus said we could pray for enough bread to get through today. He also said worrying about what is ahead only leads to anxiety. (Matthew 6:34)
Dallas Willard explains it as follows:
“(Give us today our daily bread) this request embodies that confidence in our Father that relieves us from all anxiety. The emphasis is on provision today of what we need for today. His reign is the Eternal Now. So we do not ask him to provide today what we will need for tomorrow. To have it in hand today does not guarantee that we will have it tomorrow when we need it. Today I have God, and he has the provisions. Tomorrow it will be the same. So I simply ask today for what I need for today or ask now for what I need now.”(1)
James refers us to Job as the ultimate example of perseverance. James 5:11 “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.” What is most remarkable about Job is how blatantly honest he was with God. He did get what he ask for, which was a chance to present his case directly to God. Granted he found the experience a bit overwhelming, but God did not condemn Job for his questions and even commended him. Job 42:7 and 8. Present your case before God.
Ask for help from others!
It is so much easier to complain to others about how hard it is, than to ask them specifically for help. It is interesting that following the verse about patiently enduring the time between the rains, James says not to grumble against one another. When no one seems to be aware that we are hurting, it is easy to become bitter and resentful. James solution is to verbalize: pray, sing, call, confess, and again to pray. James 5:13-16
In the Corinthians scripture where Paul said they had despaired even of life, he gives the lesson he learned through that experience. “But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”
There are times we cannot rely on ourselves. We simply have to hold on to the God of resurrection and lean on the prayers of others! My friends, please be honest with your needs, and don’t apologize for asking. Let us help one another to hope as we listen for the rain.
(1) Willard, D. (1998). The Divine Conspiracy. New York: HarperCollins