“Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.”
— James 5:13

You and I must act. James 5:13 says, “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.” James is telling us that to live in the power of God and experience the momentum of the Holy Spirit, we must act. Are you suffering? Don’t just sit there and let the enemy beat you up. James says to pray. If God is doing great things in your life and you’re feeling cheerful, sing His praises. Whether our circumstances are good or bad, we are not to be passive. We are to do something.

Too many people are waiting for God to do everything. They do not understand that the upper world is connected to the lower world. It is not just what God does in the upper world that affects our reality; it also matters what we do here in the lower world. Even as God activates us from the upper world, we can also move God to action here in the lower world by seeking Him in prayer and by praising Him. This is why the Lord said in James 4:8, “Draw near to Me, and I will draw near to you” (author’s paraphrase).

You see, when we draw near to God, we are doing something in the lower world, and He responds from the upper world and draws near to us. There is a partnership between us and God. We can’t just be passive and then wonder why God is not moving in our situation. We need to act as well. God is looking for us to partner with Him.

I want to say to you, beloved one: don’t be flaccid in your walk with God. Declare your love for Him in word and in deed. Praise Him. Talk to Him. He loves you, and He is just waiting for you to love Him back. When you do, He will respond.

Father God, awaken my heart to the reality of my responsibility. Help me to not be passive but to partner with You to bring supernatural change in my life and in the lives of others. I commit to seeking You in prayer when trials come and to praise You in the good times. I desire to always move toward You. I love You, Lord.

Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider, Rivers of Revelation (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2020), Used by permission.