“As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; So is a wicked ruler over the poor people. The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor: But he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days. A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person Shall flee to the pit; let no man stay him. Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: But he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once. He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: But he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough. A faithful man shall abound with blessings: But he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. To have respect of persons is not good: For for a piece of bread that man will transgress.”
Proverbs 28:15-21 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/pro.28.15-21.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 ...