You also be patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of your Lord draws near.
(Jas 5:8)

Preceding verses in James 5 mentions about the ‘rich’ that depend on things that will decay yet holding on the riches as though it will be their very source of salvation. This kind of crutch on wealth is subtle, not just on money or on things of value, but I would dare venture to say it is our riches in self or having an unrealistically high estimation of one self. Jesus taught that the poor in spirit are blessed or happy for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Matt 5:3). Happiness is not to be considered in the lofty sense of the word but rather having an inward joy, contentment, fulfillment of being favored by God. We often mistake happiness as a pursuit, some preachers will even say to pursue God for our happiness which is not evident through out Scripture. Blessedness comes in the ‘being’ not doing something in order to be happy. Matt 5, Jesus said blessed or happy ‘ARE’.

It’s a sacrifice of a broken and contrite spirit that He will not despise (Psa 51:17) and seeing that the one offering such a sacrifice can be entrusted with the wealth of the Kingdom of Heaven. The sorrow of sin is a heart that is tender and pliable to God’s Word, coming to a realization of our self, human goodness, and the wealth of human experience is but filthy rags and we desire for God’s interest, which is His Kingdom. Similarly a son or daughter who is not aligned to the aspirations of the father will not inherit the family business. As Jesus went about doing the Father’s business, not His own, that the Father saw fit that Jesus be given all authority in Heaven and earth.

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
(Rev 3:17)

I can’t help but recall the Lord’s warning to the Laodicea church in Rev 3. It is when we are in the state of needing nothing from the Lord. Luke warmness is the sure symptom of this state. There is only one antidote; it requires the cost of self sufficiency, even giving up things that we are familiar and dear with. People often want to be in ‘control’, we have to loose every sense of security in self in order to find our wealth in God. Therefore let us be ready for the coming of the Lord who call the sheep the His right and Goats to His left. Only the ones on the right will inherit the Kingdom for eternity (Matt 25:33,34).

Establishing our hearts

And may the Lord make you to increase and abound in love toward one another and toward all, even as we also toward you, in order to establish your hearts blameless in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
(1Th 3:12-13)

The establishing or steadfastly set or strengthen our hearts unto blamelessness that we might live in neither guilt nor condemnation. For us to live in that negative state doesn’t give us any hope. God has called us out of darkness into His marvelous light, out of sin into righteousness that we might live holy lives. Separated and precious unto God, how else shall we be called the apple of His eye? Being a precious child of God we are loved. Being loved, we also love others as He loved us and gave His life for us.

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
(Joh 15:12-13)

To love others would come out of sacrifice or cost to us. This will require a certain degree of putting others ahead of ourselves.

By obeying this commandment of Christ we will be steadfast in our hearts with readiness to meet our God face to face. Many fear death or meeting our Creator, but this needn’t be if our hearts are firmly established being blameless and holy.

Having Patience for what?

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
(Rom 5:3-5)

Trials and tribulations are part and parcel of life. In fact God allows us to go through them to experience the full extent of the power of His Grace. They are also part and parcel of our pilgrimage to keep us in the place of meekness and dependency on God. The outcome of trials can also be the converse, instead of experiencing God’s grace one can end up in utter bitterness.

The glory in tribulations means that we endure with joy because it works the character quality of patience into our lives. Patience is the inner strength to go through trials as with the patience of Job.

And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. (Job 1:21)

Job learned to put his life into the hand of God who loved him and meant peace and not evil with an expected good end. Let us not just start well and fall apart with trials, but He wants to give us a victorious end with inheritance of the Kingdom of God.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jer 29:11)

There is always an end to our affliction, consider the glory at the end of the dark tunnel of affliction that for the now seem never to end. Learn to have eternity in our foresight.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (2Co 4:17)

Patience is the character quality worked into us in tribulations, followed by experience and hope. Hope is the confidence that God builds into our lives upon that we will know and know deep within our hearts that God will never fail us nor forsake us. We live our lives with our heads high and unashamed, not because of pride, but having our eyes focused Heavenward.

Ultimately, the love of God will be shed abroad in our hearts. Having hope, we will find out that life’s disappointments can be overcome because He loves us. Knowing His love will bring us to the place that we can let all bitterness go lest we get eaten up from inside.

For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: (2Co 5:14)

God’s love so powerful it constrains us, or to hold us together. Keeping us in the sanity for He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and of a sound minds (2 Tim 1:7). He never disappoints us as things and people do. He has promised never to forsake us.