Wait!

Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return.

Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring.

They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.

You, too, must be patient.

 Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.

 James 5:7-8

James writes this message to the Jesus followers who are being persecuted in unmerciful ways. They want Jesus to return and rescue them NOW. Many still probably see a valiant warrior returning to conquer Rome and bring justice, regardless of the fact that Jesus told them many times, that His Kingdom is not of this world, but in their hearts. Perhaps they wanted vengeance. They wanted payback for the pain and suffering perpetrated on the Jews. They DID NOT want to be patient.

If we bring that into our homes, perhaps you can relate to that. You have felt trapped in a marriage, waiting for God to “fix” what is wrong. You are sick of waiting for him or her to see you, to notice you, to care about how you feel or what you think. Your heart longs for those types of relationships you feel other couples have. You see older couples holding hands and smiling and long for that… worrying that your story won’t end so sweetly. You feel persecuted and down-trodden and like this isn’t the gig you signed up for. This is NOT the person you thought you married. Maybe you have thought of divorce or if divorce isn’t in your vocabulary, you simply feel miserably stuck. Relationships end daily because we are unwilling to wait and see that God will make a way through the struggles… if we will simply be patient.

James tells the believers that are facing more misery than we are likely to ever endure, to “take courage for the LORD is near.” There will be things they cannot control, just like the farmer. The farmer learns when to plant and the best process for growing a healthy crop and will do all they know to do in order to bring in a great harvest. It is WORK. The same is true in your marriage. It is work. You must learn and grow and give 100% in order to grow a healthy marriage. But, just as the farmer cannot control the clouds or the rain or the heat or frost, you cannot control your spouse and the amount of work they are willing to put into growing your marriage. So, let that notion go, right now! If you are praying for your marriage, great! Do just that, but don’t try to answer your prayer by changing your husband or wife. That is what God is doing in response to your prayer. Wait on Him to do what you have asked rather than crying that it just isn’t working. There is a distinct possibility that He is trying to change your heart and attitudes, as well as your husband’s or wife's.

So keep praying for your home and for your marriage, knowing that God hears your prayers. Praying for your marriage to be a reflection of God’s love is so much more pleasant that complaining about your spouse. Grumbling only brings pain. But, patience… waiting on the Lord, has a way of growing us into that old smiling couple walking hand in hand. They know where they have come from and Who it was that got them through it.

Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged.

For look—the Judge is standing at the door!

For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters,

look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

We give great honor to those who endure under suffering.

For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance.

You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end,

for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.

James 5:9-11