Do you want to persevere through this challenging chapter of life?

If so, James 5 provides some powerful and down-to-earth How-To’s.

Amongst other things he says, “Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged” (verse 9).

Perhaps his first-century audience was in the habit of moaning and groaning against each other because they were going through a tough time.

We know what that’s like, don’t we? For some reason, when we’re going through difficulty, we can be at our worst with the people who love us the most. Maybe we feel like we can be honest and just let it all out… on them.

Why is it easy to lash out at the ones we love—whether it be at our family members, brothers and sisters at church, or trusted friends? 

Doing so is totally counterproductive. Why would we undermine our own goldmine of support?

If grumbling against one another is something James says we shouldn’t do if we want to persevere through hardship, it follows that we should be in the business of building each other up.

Think of your family members, brothers and sisters at church, and your trusted friends. Are you grumbling against them in a counter-productive way? Or are you fortifying them for the living of difficult days?

Here’s my guess. When you help them to be at their best, they’re going to help you be at yours. 

Don’t undermine your own goldmine of support.

By Matthew Ruttan

–Today’s devotional is related to my most recent sermon (Nov 22, 2020): “Hitched to hope.” You can access YouTube or audio-only download options here.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.