Seventh Day Baptist
Christian Education Council
PO BOX 1678
Janesville, WI 53547
—James 5:7-12
by: Cheryl Steele.
I always get struck by verse 12 when I read this chapter of James. If I have the authority to swear by heaven or by earth, then that means I think I have some kind of power. Fortunately, I do not have that power because, as Paul pointed out, God’s “power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). I do not often feel blessed when my weakness is made evident through suffering, but this passage points out that we can expect God to be near in those times. I truly believe God allows us to experience suffering so that we will learn to draw closer to Him, lean on His strength, and draw on His comfort.