“The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; Because they refuse to do judgment. The way of man is froward and strange: But as for the pure, his work is right. It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, Than with a brawling woman in a wide house. The soul of the wicked desireth evil: His neighbour findeth no favour in his eyes. When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: And when the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge. The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: But God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.”
Proverbs 21:7-12 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.21.7-12.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 ...