“A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: Whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth. He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; But he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends. A reproof entereth more into a wise man Than an hundred stripes into a fool. An evil man seeketh only rebellion: Therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him. Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly. Whoso rewardeth evil for good, Evil shall not depart from his house. The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: Therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.”
Proverbs 17:8-14 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.17.8-14.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 ...