Established hearts

“You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” James 5:8

What do you think James means by “establish your hearts”? One way to consider this phrase would be “strengthen your hearts.” Remember that the people James was originally writing to were people who were being persecuted for their faith. He calls them to be patient for the day when Jesus returns to make all things right, but as they wait, they need to establish their hearts to ensure that they don’t fall away from God before he returns. It’s a call to continue in what they know to be true. 
Oftentimes, when we are suffering, we are tempted to lose our faith. That happened quite a bit in the first few hundred years of Christianity, when Christians were persecuted more frequently. James knows this well. He exhorts his readers to hold on to what they know so that they wouldn’t get thrown overboard. Jesus would be returning soon.

Read

“Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, ¹² and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, ¹³ so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”

1 Thessalonians 3:11–13

• In these verses, who is the one who does the establishing of our hearts? God or us?
• Who could you pray for that might be suffering and be tempted to lose their faith? Maybe you could pray this verse specifically for them.

Pray

Father, may you work in us to establish our hearts so that we love you and your glory more than our physical, mental, or emotional comfort. We know that we’ll be tested in this life, but help us to keep our eyes on the day when you return to make all things right. We know that one day very soon, all of our suffering will be over. We thank you for this promise. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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