James concludes his letter by calling the church to become a community of people shaped by prayer, whether in trouble or joy, in sickness or sin, in wandering or returning to God. However, prayer is less a task and more a way of being, where God’s nearness shapes our hearts to resemble that of Jesus.

Through honest, consistent, and confessional prayer, we learn to see as God sees, love as He loves, and be strengthened in our communion with Him. Prayer unclogs the soul and deepens relationships. It brings restoration and healing. A hope-filled life, and a church characterized by hope, rests on a continual, shared life of prayer in God’s presence.