As we head toward the end of the year, it’s a natural time to pause and reflect—not just on where we’ve been, but on where we’re headed. Our theme this year has been whatever it takes. More than a slogan, it’s been a goal line for 2025 and, at the same time, a starting line for what comes next.
Whatever it takes is not simply about effort. It’s about mindset. It’s about commitment. It’s about a willingness to change.
When you look closely at the life and teaching of Jesus, this mindset shows up again and again. Jesus didn’t approach faith as one option among many. He lived and taught with clarity: following Him requires everything.
Whatever It Takes Is the Only Option
When Jesus called His first disciples, He said, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” That invitation carried a cost. Priorities would change. Lives would be reordered.
Later, Jesus made it even clearer: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” This wasn’t a one-time decision. It was a daily posture of surrender.
Jesus didn’t soften this message when people hesitated. To the man who wanted to delay discipleship for family matters, Jesus replied, “Let the dead bury their own dead… but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” To the wealthy young man, He said, “Go, sell what you possess, give to the poor, and follow me.”
The message is consistent: whatever it takes isn’t one of the options—it’s the only one.
When we reinterpret that call as “whatever I want,” or “whatever feels comfortable,” we’re prioritizing our preferences over Jesus’ proclamations. And Jesus is remarkably plain about this: faith is either marked by commitment or compromised by complacency.
Genuine Faith Isn’t a Cheap Knockoff
Anything short of full devotion may resemble faith, but it isn’t the real thing. Like a cheap imitation that looks right but lacks substance, compromised discipleship ultimately disappoints.
Genuine pursuits—whether in life or faith—are often born out of what could be called a great pause: moments of fear, failure, or frailty that force us to reckon with what really matters. Scripture shows this pattern clearly, and so does history.
That’s true for James as well.
James: From Skeptic to Servant
James, the brother of Jesus, didn’t always believe. The Gospels tell us that Jesus’ own family once thought He was out of His mind. There were likely religious tensions, sibling rivalry, and even resentment woven into that relationship.
But something changed.
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15 that the risen Jesus appeared to James personally. That encounter became James’ great pause—the moment that transformed him from skeptic to servant, from brother of Jesus to devoted follower of Christ.
Because of that journey, James understands what genuine faith looks like. And throughout his letter, he defines it clearly.
A genuine pursuit:
- Endures trials and temptation
- Welcomes and practices God’s Word
- Rejects partiality
- Lives out an active, obedient faith
- Exercises self-control
- Displays wisdom from above
- Chooses allegiance to God over the world
- Humbly submits to the lordship of Jesus
- Remains patient in the face of injustice
- Is marked by honesty and integrity
That brings us to James 5:13–20.
A Genuine Pursuit Prays, Praises, and Pursues Others
In this passage, James describes the rhythms—or cycles—of life: suffering and singing, sickness and wandering. These cycles are unavoidable. They affect believers and unbelievers alike.
James’ instruction is simple but profound:
- If you are suffering, pray.
- If you are cheerful, sing praise.
- If you are sick, call the elders and let them pray.
Prayer is both personal and communal. It shapes us, steadies us, and reminds us that we are not meant to walk through hardship alone.
James emphasizes that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful—not because that person is perfect, but because their life is oriented toward God. The prayer of a penitent person carries great weight.
Prayer changes circumstances, but it also changes hearts. Not every prayer is answered the way we expect, yet God consistently works through a praying people.
Faith Is Lived “Among You”
One phrase repeats throughout this passage: among you.
To know who is suffering or singing, sick or straying, you have to be present. Genuine faith isn’t lived in isolation or limited to an hour on Sunday morning. It requires proximity, relationship, and shared life.
This is true for every generation—from adults navigating hardship to students learning how to follow Jesus in a complicated world. In Fort Collins CO churches and within high school youth ministries Fort Collins, this kind of togetherness is essential.
James ends with a powerful reminder: bringing someone back from wandering matters deeply. It is, in essence, a call to leave no one behind.
Be Genuine. Be Together.
There is something profoundly sad about facing a battle alone—especially a spiritual one where eternity is at stake. James’ letter reminds us that the church is not a place to consume and leave, but a people committed to one another.
So the call is clear.
Be genuine in your pursuit of Christ. And be together in your pursuit of one another.
That’s the faith James describes. And it’s the faith our world still needs to see.