“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.” (James 4:8-10)
In today’s look at the Epistle of James, we read the call to repentance and humility, where James is urging believers to seek closeness with God. As we make the effort to approach Almighty God through prayer and penance, He in turn draws near to us with His grace and mercy.
The command to “cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded” helps us see the necessity of inner and outer purification. It is not enough to merely perform external acts of piety; our heart must be free from duplicity and sin. The mention of being “doubleminded” refers to those who waver between serving God and pursuing worldly desires. True repentance demands a sincere and undivided commitment to the Lord. In an age where superficial joy and worldly pleasures are overwhelming for some, this passage reminds us that true spiritual growth often comes through sorrow for our sins. This mourning that James speaks of is not without hope, for it leads to divine consolation.
James write, “humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.” True exaltation does not come from self-promotion or worldly success but from submitting ourselves to God’s will. When we acknowledge our own nothingness before Him, He lifts us up in His time, granting us a share in His eternal glory.
