Be Patient in Suffering, Earnest in Prayer

Be Patient in Suffering, Earnest in Prayer
James 5.7-11; 16-18
7Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. 9Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! 10Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. 17Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

When we suffer, we often make ourselves miserable. The misery is not always caused by the suffering itself, but by our unwillingness to turn our situation over to the Lord. I have heard many stories of people losing their faith because they wondered, “Why, God?” And yet the strongest people I know are the people who pray the strongest through trials, temptation, and the suffering that accommodates both. It is the people who keep getting hit and beaten down by life, and yet rise up again because they trust in the Lord through their tough times who understand well that we must be patient in times of suffering, and all the while be earnest in prayer.

That is what James 5 urges us to do. It is no coincidence that he mentions patience and prayer in the same chapter—the two walk hand in hand. He tells us to “be patient and stand firm.” He gives us an example of patience by “the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.” He then goes on to mention one prophet specifically, Elijah. Truly Elijah makes James’ statement ring true: “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” Elijah, though he suffered, also prayed earnestly “That it would not rain” and that later it would rain.

Beloved, this is how we are to get through suffering. We must be like Elijah. We must pray, and we must trust God’s supply. Many of us like to groan and make a pity party, hoping others will see us. But as children of God, we must occupy our suffering with prayer and thanksgiving to God, just like Job.

So then, let us be patient and pray while we endure suffering. You will not find many examples in the Bible of a godly man or woman who did not pray during suffering. Moses, King David, Job, Elijah, Jesus, Paul, and many other people of God all prayed. We need to do the same. While patience involves waiting, prayer does not. We should be quick to pray. The moment we see ourselves in a situation where trouble could come, let us turn to Jesus.

Be quick to pray in all things, beloved! Whatever is on your mind, pray about it! I am convinced God gives us dreams, memories, thoughts, and that he puts others in our lives for the purpose of prayer for them and for their situations. If you have not been quick to pray, begin today. Ask the Lord for a heart that is quick to pray and that is “slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1.19). Pray earnestly in your suffering, beloved. Tell the Lord, “I’m struggling, Jesus. Help me with my needs.” Surround yourself with the Lord in times of trouble. Be intimate with Him. Talk to Him, worship Him, and read His word. He will help you through your tough times. Amen.

With love in Christ,



Austin Aldrich