Living With Patience Or Stress?

September 15th, 2026
by Lance Waldie

James 5:8 You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Like the farmer who is longsuffering to wait for nature and God to bring His crops up from the ground in due time in v. 7, in v. 8 James exhorts Christians to be patient in their sufferings in light of Christ’s imminent return. In v. 7, James speaks of the fact of Christ’s coming; in v. 8 he speaks of the nearness of it. Of note here is the term for “near” (Gr. engizō), a term used throughout the NT in eschatological contexts. Jesus said that the kingdom of God is near (Mark 1:15; cf. Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 10:7; Luke 10:9, 11). Likewise, Peter said, “The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer” (1 Pet. 4:7; cf. Rom. 13:12). And, in light of Christ’s imminent return, the writer of Hebrews admonished, “…not forsaking our own assembling together… but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb. 10:25, italics mine).

Also, quoting Jesus, John used the term “soon” to refer to Christ’s return: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place…” (Rev. 1:1, italics mine). Of course the immediate events in Revelation concerning the seven churches in chapters 2-3 did occur very “soon” after John’s writing. Yet later, Jesus is quoted by John as using the same word “soon” for His future return which has yet to be fulfilled. In other words, Jesus used the word “soon” to speak of immediate, now-fulfilled events as well as future, yet-to-be-fulfilled events like His second coming: “These words are faithful and true; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place” (Rev. 22:6, italics mine).

Since Peter claimed that many would scoff at Christ’s seemingly loose use of the word “near” for His return (2 Pet. 3:1-10), the subjective nature of both “near” and “soon” is key. For how could Christ’s return be “near” in the first century yet still be unfulfilled in the twenty-first century? The answer is found in Peter’s words who wrote: “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day” (2 Pet. 3:8). Then in v. 9, Peter says, “God is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). The “you” in Peter’s context is clearly Christians, God’s elect (cf. 1 Pet. 1:1-2; 2 Pet. 2:1)—those whom He chose from before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4-11). This is evident in Peter’s address of his audience in both of his epistles, for he spoke specifically to Christians. So, Christ’s supposed slowness in His return is so that all whom God elected to salvation will be born then be born again (John 3:3). Thus, “near” and “soon” must be interpreted within the greater context of Scripture and history.

James exhorted believers while waiting for Christ’s return to “strengthen your hearts.” The Greek for “strengthen” (stērizō) means to “prop up; fix firmly in place.” Paul also uses this term in 1 Thessalonians 3:13 in an eschatological context where it is God who does the strengthening: “…that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” What James wants is for Christians everywhere to prop themselves up, as it were—to get right spiritually by ridding our lives of laziness and selfish ambition and to rejoice in our trials while waiting patiently for Christ’s glorious return.

Food For Thought
What if we lived as if Christ’s return were next week? Would you strengthen yourself with the comfort of knowing you’re going Home by repenting of sins, reading Scripture, and spending time in prayer and worship? Would you admit wrong and ask forgiveness of those you have offended? Would you enjoy the simple things in life and not stress? What are your waiting for?