Patiently Waiting Like Job
If you want to be divinely blessed, carefully read and consider the following scripture:
You know we call those blessed [happy, spiritually prosperous, favored by God] who were steadfast and endured [difficult circumstances]. You have heard of the patient endurance of Job and you have seen the Lord’s outcome [how He richly blessed Job]. The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. (James 5:11, Amplified Bible)
Most of us want to be happy. We want all aspects of our life (family, work, friends, etc.) to bring us joy and pleasure.
Most of us want to be spiritually prosperous and experience a growing, loving, close relationship with God.
Most of us want to be favored by God. We want our needs and desires given instantly and we want them to be more than we could ask or think.
However, I do not know anyone who eagerly volunteers to be steadfast and to endure difficult circumstances. “Steadfast” in difficult circumstances means to be firmly fixed in place, immovable, and not subject to change or to give up on God, no matter how hard life gets. “To endure” means you will not try to lighten life’s heavy load by your own wit; but will patiently wait on God to bring you through.
The truth is that life’s storms come to everyone sooner or later, whether we volunteer for them or not. How we respond while in the storm determines if we will live a blessed life (happy, spiritually prosperous, and favored by God).
James 5:1-11 reveal that the poor Christian Jews’ “difficult circumstances” were caused by the rich Christin Jews. James gave the poor, Christian Jews three examples of how being patient and waiting on the Lord while suffering would bring victory. James’s first example is the patience of the farmer. Read his teaching at the following link: (https://dorothyjhaire.info/2020/10/07/patiently-waiting-like-the-farmer/). James’s second example was the patience of the Old Testament prophets. Read his teaching at the following link above. Finally, James uses a man named Job to show how a steadfast, faithful mindset toward God while enduring bad situations will cause God to bless you abundantly.
If you have never read the Book of Job, you do yourself a disservice. Those who think the Bible is not for today would be greatly enriched by the multitude of life lessons in this one book.
My summary of Job’s life is as follows: In the eyes of his fellow citizens in the land of UZ, Job was a blameless, upright man who feared God and shunned evil. He was a very wealthy, married man with seven sons and three daughters. Job 1:3b reads, “He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.” Life was going great.
One day Satan procured permission from God to show that Job was only faithful to God because God had placed a hedge of protection around Job. God gave Satan permission twice to tempt Job to turn His back on God. Job lost:
- his wealth (oxen, asses, sheep, camels, and servants),
- his children (a great wind collapsed the house and killed them),
- his health (boils broke out all over his body)
- the respect of his wife (she told Job to curse his God and die,
- the respect of his friends, (they deduced that Job’s sins caused such difficult circumstances to happen to him),
But no matter how hard life got, Job trusted and waited on the Lord. He said, “All the days of my struggle I will wait until my change comes” (Job 14:14, NAS).
It took time, a lot of suffering, and a long conversation with God, but God rewarded Job’s patience and faith with double for his trouble:
“The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters… And so Job died, an old man and full of years” (Job 42:12, 13, 17)
I do not know what you are going through in this season of your life. But I do believe that James 5:11c is true: “The Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” What God did for Job He can and will do for you. He is no respecter of persons.
I also believe God when He said, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, KJV).
We do not know what conversations God is having about us in heaven, but we can be assured that He loves us and has predestined a blessed future for us.
We must trust and believe God’s promises, no matter what we are going through, because faithful is He who promised.
Join the Conversation.
Dr. Dorothy J. Haire
Author & Blogger
Both church planter and pastor of Bread of Life Christian Church for the last 18 years, Dr. Haire is a beloved mother and successful author. Empowered to deliver the word of God to His people, Dr. Haire uses her digital platform to educate and develop Christian communities that are rooted in the word of Christ.
Great article, Dr., As always. We have to be determined to wait on God and practice patience.
Hello Dr. Haire,
I thank God that he is full of compassion and mercy. During these trying days, I agree with Job,
I will wait upon the Lord until my changes come. Amen!
Thank you for the teaching…
I must learn patience, especially in this season, just as all of us should.
I do know that God is a faithful God ,you are right we must ask God to give us patience to waiter him times, because he know when and how and we do not.h he tells us to trust in his words. Iam leaning to give him my worry and talk his peace,thank you lord.
Yes, Dorothy we must continue to trust and believe God’s promises.
This is a great article and a great means of encouragement. Thank you Dr. Haire for speaking life into the lives of God’s people… Blessings!
This is a great article and a great means of encouragement. Thank you Dr. Haire for speaking life into the lives of God’s people… Patiently waiting. Blessings!
Good reminder to remain steadfast and trusting. Just remember Job.
Awesome article Dr. Haire! The key point for me is Job continued to communicate with God “through the suffering”. Job did not listen to the suggestions of his wife and friends. He did not give up. His relationship with God strengthened during his struggle. Job remained steadfast in his faith, endured the tests, exercised patience, and was able to experience a greater Blessing after passing the test!
Awesome article. Exactly what I needed. Thank you for an on time word.
Wonderful reminder! I agree with Ms. Hunter. I love that Job was yet communicating with God, even when he didn’t understand.. It reminds me of Juanita Bynum’s song, I don’t mind waiting. For it states, we must not only wait on God, we must wait In God. Love this!
I thank God for faith in him to day, my life is in a different place to day I don’t go many places but to the mailbox or the store. The spirit of the lord is the same and I am not in a hurry any more. I read more i am learning to wait on the promise of God, he is helping me to do that.
I am going through some challenging times right now. God has gifted me with patience to wait on the change to make things better. Thanks Dorothy
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