September12 Thought for the day

James urges believers to remain patient and strong in their faith.

The day of the Lord is coming. They must not turn on each other, but they should be challenged and encouraged by the example of the Old Testament prophets and Job who remained faithful to God through great suffering.

Frustration comes to us all at times.

-When life appears to have dealt us a lousy hand, we tend to compare our lives with others and covet their prosperity.

-When calamity strikes with pain and suffering, we question God's sovereignty and whether He truly loves us.

-When persecution strikes a heavy blow against our psyche for defending God's Word, we begin to calculate whether silence is a better option than speaking truth in love.

In any circumstance, James warns his brothers and sisters not to complain or grumble like the Exodus community did in the wilderness (cf. Numbers 11, 14) as they journeyed towards the land of promise. Reminding them, “the Judge is standing at the door,” James draws on Jesus’ teaching that the final vindication of the righteous is certain and imminent (cf. Lk 18:1-8).