James 5:11 – Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.

We look back upon the prophets of the Old Testament such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel with a great deal of respect. We honor them for their lives of zeal and devotion to God and to His eternal message. It is in this sense we can call them blessed. We agree that they were right and the world was wrong. Well, we should also remember that they went through great trials and sufferings, and that they endured with patience. If we want to be blessed by the Lord, it is only reasonable to conclude that we will be called upon to endure the same. Job is a fine example of faithful perseverance. Few if any men in the history of the world have ever suffered so much loss in so short a time as Job. Yet he never cursed God, or turned from Him. In the end, his endurance was rewarded. God revealed Himself, as He always does, to be compassionate and merciful to those who love Him. The end intended by the Lord was that God gave Job twice as much as he had before (Job 42:10–15).

Challenge:

No matter what happens in your life, the fact that God is compassionate and merciful always remains the same. Job shows us with great clarity that our worldly experiences should in no way alter our faith in God. Do you depend on the Lord in every situation that is happening to you physically or emotionally? Do your circumstances have an impact on your relationship with God other than drawing you closer to Him? I challenge you, this week, to never lose faith in the Lord and, with every bit of strength that you have, to endure the disappointments that may come your way. Rely on the Lord even when others suggest you compromise your faith in order to fix your own problems. Trust me, this will only add more problems that you will have to deal with. Job trusted the Lord with his entire life and God honored Job for his faithfulness. He will do the same for you, as you keep your faith in Him. May God bless you and keep you.