“A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: But knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth. Go from the presence of a foolish man, When thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: But the folly of fools is deceit. Fools make a mock at sin: But among the righteous there is favour. The heart knoweth his own bitterness; And a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.”
Proverbs 14:6-10 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.14.6-10.KJV
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 ...