James 5:10-11 [AMP]
[As] an example of suffering and ill-treatment together with patience, brethren, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord [as His messengers]. You know how we call those blessed (happy) who were steadfast [who endured]. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the Lord’s [purpose and how He richly blessed him in the] end, inasmuch as the Lord is full of pity and compassion and tenderness and mercy.
The prophets are an example of patience in the face of suffering. The way the Greek is written here would indicate that the prophets were afflicted and the manner in which they endured that affliction was through patience. The fact that these prophets spoke in the name of the Lord is added to make clear that the suffering endured by them was not a result of wrongdoing, but specifically of their faithful adherence to the will of God.
James now references Job. In my study of Job, just before doing this study of James, I became very familiar with Job’s suffering, but also his groveling, his complaining, and even his defiance in some cases. So it makes me wonder what James is talking about here in regards to being blessed. What can be said about Job is that he was steadfast in his faith, and even clung to God in his suffering. I like white one theologian (Barclay) said in a quote about Job, “Job’s is no groveling, passive, unquestioning submission; Job struggled and questioned, and sometimes even defied, but the flame of faith was never extinguished in his heart.”
What the story of Job shows us is the compassion that God had on Job’s life after he endured his suffering. So, ‘To be blessed’ is not, of course, the same as being ‘happy’: ‘happiness’ normally suggests a subjective, emotional reaction; ‘blessing’ is the objective, unalterable approval and reward of God.
Application:
As I think about patience and endurance through suffering, and that blessing does not necessarily mean happiness, at the end of my endurance I can rest assured that the Lord has a blessing for me if I endure this life’s afflictions well. At the end of the day, I must not wallow in my circumstance or situation that happens to be an affliction. I need to keep my eyes set on the ultimate prize, which is the blessing I will receive from God when I have completed the race.