James 5:13 – “Whatever”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹³Is anyone among you troubled? Let him pray. Is anyone happy? Let him make music.

What a blessed little verse! It’s so simple, I’ve always read it too fast. Now that I finally took the time to stop and ponder on it, I’ve found a little treasure. I’ll try to record here what I mean.

First of all, and I think this observation goes clear back to Thomas Manton (ca. 1650), we can observe from this verse that in all the twists and turns of life, God is inviting us into His Presence. Here are the two extremes – troubled or happy. If I find myself afflicted in any way (sickness, bereavement, disappointment, health problems, financial problems, weariness, persecution, betrayal, overworked, etc.), what should I do? Pray.

Here’s where I miss the blessing reading too fast. Think about it again. What should I do? Pray. Notice that doesn’t just mean “Say your prayers.” It isn’t recommending some dispensing of a duty. Let the full depth of this command sink in. Pray. What does that really mean? It means to enter into the Presence of God, to go to Him, to remind ourselves again that He is our Savior, Friend, King, Healer, Master, our Rock, our strong Defender, our Hope, our Peace, our Refuge from the storm. It is to remember that our every moment is from His good, wise, and loving hand, that He rules, that He has allowed this, that He has allowed it for our good, that it will only last as long as it needs to to accomplish His good and wise intentions, that it is His strength, not mine, that matters, because His strength is made perfect in my weakness. This is our God. So if we are afflicted, what should we do? Pray. Enter into the Presence of our Almighty God and Friend.

But, what if I don’t feel troubled at all? What if I find myself today sincerely feeling happy? What if my lot today has truly fallen in pleasant places? What should I do? Make music. Sing psalms. Sing praises. Once again – enter into the Presence of God. Take my happiness to Him. Acknowledge it is from His hand. Thank Him for it.

What a wonderful God and Savior He is. Here in this one simple little verse, He acknowledges that your life has ups and downs. He acknowledges that some days you will feel happy and some days you will feel sad. He’s okay with that. Knowing Him, believing His promises, having a relationship with Him does not imply that you’ll be “happy” all day every day. Some Christian music may give you that idea, but it didn’t come from the Lord. His prescription is not that you should strive to be “happy all the day,” but rather that, whatever your lot today, you should let it take you into His Presence.

Here’s another encouraging thought – you hear people say often, “The only time we pray is when we’re in trouble. That’s a bad thing.” But the Lord says, “Is anyone among troubled? Let him pray.” There is nothing wrong at all with feeling that sense that trouble drives us to prayer. That’s one of the reasons He allows it! So don’t beat yourself up, just go with it. Are you troubled? Pray. Just pray. Be thankful for that heightened sense of the need to pray. It’s all part of His beautiful plan. Just go with it!

On the other hand, do you find yourself happy? Don’t beat yourself up with thoughts like, “The only time I praise God is when I’m happy.” So what? What did He say? “Is anyone happy? Let him make music.” Once again, don’t fight it. Go with it. Once again, it’s part of why He’s allowed it – to give you an opportunity for praise.

God knows your life will have ups and downs. He’s okay if you respond to them in kind.

Now, of course, even in affliction, I will praise Him, just as in happiness, I still pray. But, I think this verse would free us to go with whatever state we find ourselves in. If I’m in trouble and most of my prayers are crying out to Him, He’s okay with that. If I haven’t been very “praising” lately then suddenly find myself happy, it’s okay if I just rush right into praise.

He knows our frame, that we are but dust. He made us. He knows us. He fully expects us to be human. And He’s okay with it.

I have to inject – of course it is entirely possible (and too common) that, in our troubles, rather than praying, we just whine and despair. It is also entirely possible (and too common) that, in our happy times, we forget to be thankful. But I honestly don’t think the Lord gave us this verse to beat us up. He gave it to us to very lovingly call us to let every circumstance of life invite us into His Presence. We saw in verse 12 the need to live in His Presence, to let even our words be tools that keep us mindful of Him, in awe of Him. It is His Presence which ennobles us. May we let the varied circumstance of our lives – whatever my lot -- be yet another tool to keep us mindful of that Presence. Whatever, He’s our God!

What a little jewel. Thank you, Lord!