Do Not Grumble

Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful. (James 5:9-11)

Certainly, we live in difficult times. But times have always been difficult, and they always will be, as long as we are pilgrims and strangers on earth. The Lord would have us to be examples and instruments of His grace and mercy in the midst of our circumstances, whatever they may be. That is what it means to be His witnesses. Can He trust you to represent Him well in the hard and dry season?

Endurance and perseverance are very precious attributes for the believer. They are so much more than the will to outlast our difficult seasons; they are a display of God's grace and mercy through those times. The saint who endures does so with a sweetness that defies the temptation to grouse and complain. Perseverance brings us through hardship with a joy we could not know otherwise, because we discover God is good and gracious, even when no one else is.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)

Let's Pray - Father, I thank you for the sweet grace of patience and endurance. Your compassion and mercy are gifts to Your children, and we praise You for them. In Christ Jesus alone, Amen.