James is encouraging a life in which we take everything to the Lord in prayer, both our joys and trials (v13). Christianity is about having an ongoing living relationship with God through Jesus.

In the case of sickness James encourages prayer from the elders alongside the anointing with oil (v14). The anointing with oil was a common medical practice in those days and for us today it surely means seeking prayer alongside the best medical practice available.

This passage encourages an expectation that God will heal. Often God does heal but that might not always be God’s will (see 2 Corinthians 12 v7-9).

As we consider sickness we need to realise that as well as physical healing there needs to be spiritual healing in the forgiveness of our sins (v15b-16). A healthy person is not someone who has a fit body but who is not in a right relationship with God through Christ.

Confessing our sins to each other takes wisdom and humility (v16). We must realise that we are all fellow strugglers and we need to help and support each other as we seek to follow Christ and fight against sin.