We finish up James with one of its most well-known verses. It’s one of those verses I can’t help but say in the old King James – “The prayer of the righteous availeth much.” The Bible tells us, in several passages, that somehow, our prayers have an effect on God. How does that work? How do our prayers change God? I have no idea. But it does make us stop and ask the question. Do we pray like our prayers will make a difference? Do we pray like our prayers really matter?

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As we conclude our journey through the book of James, we find ourselves at one of its most meaningful and memorable passages. James 5:13–20 is a powerful reminder of the importance of prayer, community, confession, and spiritual care in the life of a believer. These verses bring together many of the themes James has been building throughout the letter—faith in action, humility, endurance, and the deep connection between belief and behavior.

James begins with a simple but profound call to prayer: “Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise.” In both sorrow and joy, our first response should be to turn to God. Whether in the valley or on the mountaintop, God longs to be near to us and involved in our lives.

He then turns to the role of the church in healing. “Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church… the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up.” There’s something deeply communal and sacred about this act. In times of sickness, we’re not meant to suffer alone. We are invited to lean on others, to allow others to pray for us, anoint us, and walk with us in our pain.

One of the most well-known verses from this passage is verse 16: “Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.” Confession is a powerful spiritual act, not because we’re offering up our shame, but because we are releasing what burdens us and receiving the assurance of God’s forgiveness. It’s not about guilt—it’s about grace. There is healing in simply being honest about our brokenness and allowing someone to speak truth and love back into our lives.

James then gives us one of the clearest statements on the power of prayer: “The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.” Or, as I grew up hearing it: “The prayer of the righteous availeth much.” He references the prophet Elijah, a human being just like us, who prayed and saw the heavens respond. It’s a reminder that our prayers are not hollow or meaningless. Somehow—mysteriously, divinely—they matter. They move the heart of God. They change things.

I don’t claim to understand how prayer works in the grand scheme of God’s sovereignty. I can’t fully explain how a perfect God allows our imperfect prayers to affect His actions. But Scripture is clear: they do. From Exodus to the Gospels to the Epistles, God responds to the cries of His people.

That raises an important question: Do we actually pray like our prayers make a difference? Do we intercede for loved ones expecting that God might move? Do we pray for our churches, our communities, our world—believing that our words, whispered in faith, might open doors only heaven can?

James closes the letter with a gentle yet urgent reminder of our responsibility to each other. If anyone strays from the truth, and someone brings them back, that person “will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.” Prayer, confession, restoration—these are the lifeblood of the Christian community. They are not just spiritual disciplines but acts of love and grace that hold us together and lead us back to Jesus.

As we close this chapter, the invitation is clear: live a life of prayer. Pray when you’re hurting. Pray when you’re joyful. Pray when others are in need. Confess when you’ve fallen short. Speak grace to someone who’s gone astray. And above all, never forget that your prayers matter.

They really do.