11b Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Job was an exceedingly tried man. He endured his trials with patience. Job would not have manifested patience if he had not suffered his extraordinary afflictions. If he had not known such extraordinary sufferings, his fame would not have been heard down the ages.
Job was patient when all his ten children were killed without warning. Oh, to have patience amidst bereavements! He was patient when all his wealth was taken. Bearing all his losses patiently, he said in worship of the LORD, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). When his own body was full of boils (from head to toe), he patiently endured the tormenting bodily pain with which he was afflicted. Still, that was not the end of the agony he had to endure. Then there was also mental and emotional distress brought on by the conduct of his wife and friends. He was insulted when his wife tempted him to “curse God, and die”. And then Job’s friends, whom he later called “miserable comforters”, rubbed salt into the wound with their unwise remarks. In the midst of all these, he also suffered sleeplessness!
The patience of Job is held up as a powerful moral and spiritual example among men. If Job could remain patient under trial and affliction, why should we not be too? He was but a man; what was wrought in one man may be done in another. True, he had God to help him, but so have we. Like Job, we must patiently wait on the Lord for our deliverance.
Though Satan afflicted Job, God was with Job through it all. God was not absent while His servant suffered. The unseen hand of God was sustaining and nurturing Job in the midst of all his suffering. The Lord was with Job right to the end of his trials. Thus, James could declare, “Ye … have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”
As it was with Job, the Lord in His mercy will see us through in all our trials. The Lord, who allows us to be tested, will also strengthen us to endure our afflictions. Such is the experience of all afflicted saints. We do well to remain patient under our trials, for the Lord is ever working in us to build us up as His patient, blessed children. Let us therefore submit to all His sovereign and gracious dealings with us in our trials.