Remember where that thou are fallen; do the first works. Revelation 2:5. When we first come to him, we are on fire even when we don't know the Bible. Then as time goes on, we become complacent. Lord, help me to never forget who you are to me. Let me never forget what you had done for me. You took me out of darkness and brought me into the light. I may not have been like Mary but I was living in the very darkness of the enemy. I was in the very throws of plotting to take my life in a violent way. I thank you for the life I have lived since then but bring me back to my first love. In Your Name, Amen.
Responding to God at All Times
Throughout our lives, we will all experience both suffering and joy. We'll have times of great grief and times of overflowing happiness. Sometimes, they’ll be separate seasons—but other times, these experiences come together.
In either case and in any situation, James expected Christians to come to God. If someone was suffering, prayer was the call to action. If someone was cheerful, people were to pause and praise God.
This might seem obvious, but when suffering clouds our thinking, we can sometimes forget to prioritize prayer. And when things are going well and we're feeling cheerful, it’s easy to just enjoy our season and not stop long enough to praise God for it. But every season of life is actually just an opportunity to put into practice what James wrote about…
When we are suffering, let us pray. When those around us are suffering, let us pray. When we are cheerful or happy, let us praise God. When others are happy, let us praise God with ...