“You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.” James 5:8
The heart has been a topic that James has mentioned several times in his letter.
- 1:26 We can deceive our hearts
- 3:14 We can fill our hearts with “bitter jealousy and selfish ambition.”
- 4:8 We are called to “purify our hearts”
- 5:5 Self-indulgence can fatten our hearts for the day of slaughter
But now in contrast, James tells us to strengthen our hearts. He’s not telling us to start a cardio regimen, eat cheerios and take CoQ10. The heart is the center of our thinking. It is what influences our actions.
When we strengthen our center of thinking, there is a direct correlation to what we will focus on in this life.
What should be our focus? The coming of the Lord! James tells them that this day was near. Not that the end of the world was at hand, but that through death, the suffering Christian’s he is writing to would be standing before the throne of God very soon.
This gives us a glimpse into the extent of their suffering. They were so mistreated that they were at the point of death. Rather than worry about self-preservation, think about where you will be the moment you pass from this life.
We are told that our life is a vapor (James 4:14), here one minute and gone the next. So don’t get so focused on the suffering that you face to the detriment of your soul. If we lose focus on the eternal, what’s the point of prolonging the temporal?
These poor Christians would have been tempted to do anything they could to take care of their families. James says in verse 9, “Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.”
If you make plans to go over to a friend’s house, your journey begins at home, you get in your car, drive the route, arrive at their home, get out of your car, and go to the door. Entering through the door is the last step before you are in their home. That the Judge is standing right at the door paints the picture that our judgment is right in front of us. Judgment is near, our life is a vapor. Don’t do something in this life that will put you in the same boat as the unrighteous.
James began his letter with a statement on suffering, and he ends by talking about trials. Suffering can produce endurance (1:2). Suffering can also give us a stronger heart. As Christians in the 21st century we might be tempted to act as though judgment is far off in the future.
Does the thought of Christ coming back in 30 seconds scare you? If we knew for certain that Christ was coming back in 30 seconds, what would you be thinking?
…Do you feel relieved that it didn’t happen? If so, why? Are you disappointed? The coming of the Lord is near for each one of us. At any moment we could be standing before God. We should live with this thought in mind every day.
For those who have strengthened their hearts there will be a reward beyond comprehension. When suffering comes, strengthen your heart.
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