As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy (James 5:11).
Father in heaven, You are “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,"—it was in these words You proclaimed Your name as You passed in front of Moses (Exodus 34:6).
Throughout Scripture, You use repeated reminders of Your compassion and mercy as encouragement for us to press on, to persevere. You remind us that Your eyes see oppression, that Your ears hear the cries of the cheated and the exploited (James 5:4).
Father, in the everyday "sameness" of difficult circumstances, it is easy to turn our trials and hurts into grumbling against one another (James 5:9). It is easy to turn our weariness and despair into squabbles and feuds, disagreements and incivility.
O but Lord, You have called us into anticipation instead of cynicism, hope instead of despair, expectation in the middle of struggle, patience in the face of suffering (James 5:7-10). You reward perseverance with Your blessing, You crown endurance with Your victory. O help us!
We lift to You every struggle—every battle in the physical and in the spiritual—health, finances, family, relationships—whatever difficulty, challenge, or trial we are facing. We lift to You our hopes, dreams, desires and disappointments—You know the longings of every heart. We lift to You all our cares about our loved ones.
We lift to You injustice, inequity, injury, oppression, and exploitation of every kind—we know that You "detest dishonest scales (Proverbs 11:1). We cry out on behalf of the helpless against the widespread and escalating tyranny of "differing weights and dishonest scales" in our society (Proverbs 20:23).
Lord, in spite of all of the darkness around us, help us not to lose heart (Hebrews 12:3). Help us to entrust all justice and vindication to the Righteous Judge who is "standing at the door" (James 5:9).
Help us to persevere. Help us to establish our hearts (NKJV)—to be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near (James 5:8). Thank You for the encouraging words of our Lord Jesus, "look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28).
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