James 5

What is the Christian way to find the path forward in painful and difficult circumstances? Or more specifically, what is the source of illumination, of light, in dark places and periods in our lives as Christians, so that we do not stumble so as to fall and lose hope and fall into complete despair at our difficulties and situation? Does the Bible give us concrete answers to these questions that actually work out in real life?

Here in his book, James, the brother of our Lord, encourages us to lay hold of and lift up a lamp in our own darkness. James gives us two examples in the lives of Old Testament saints, who found the source of illumination for their lives and lifted it up for themselves and others to light the path of difficulty: