Are You Tired of Waiting for Jesus to Come Back?

A Few Thoughts to Consider

Do you ever get tired of life and just wish Christ would return today?

As James brings his letter to a close, he says in James 5:7-8, ⁷ “Therefore, brothers and sisters, be patient until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. ⁸ You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, because the Lord’s coming is near.”

As David Nystrom notes, “In the eastern Mediterranean two seasons of rain are normal and necessary for a successful crop.”^[1] Without rain, farmers were helpless. All the preparation, planting, and waiting were all for naught if the rain didn’t come. As James illustrates, Christians are to wait through suffering like Job and pray with fervor like Elijah.

To someone who had never seen rain before, this would seem absurd. To place your livelihood and the well-being of your family in the hope that water will pour down from the sky is incredible, almost foolish. But the farmer and the person who has observed the seasons know this hope is not foolish at all.

It’s the same for those who have placed their hope in God. This hope is not anchored in blind faith but in the reality of God’s faithfulness in their lives. His words in Scripture have rung true in their lives, and his promises have transformed their homes, marriages, and careers.

It’s interesting that James follows up his call to be patient in verses 7-8 with this challenge not to grumble. The two are interconnected. Keep in mind that James is writing to the poor who have suffered the abuse of those who are rich and powerful. They have lost homes, careers, and friends because of those who oppress them. In today’s culture, most people would certainly give them a license to grumble and complain. Their basic human rights have been violated.