James wrote: “Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.  Behold, we count them happy which endure. 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” (James 5:10-11).  We often focus our thoughts on suffering on how hard it is to overcome the things we face.  We often speak of Satan throwing everything he has towards making each and everyone one of us become one of his disciples.  We do not focus enough of our thoughts on how suffering for the cause of Christ benefits us.

     Our opening text from the pen of James is two verses that speak of the happiness that comes from our enduring affliction.  First, James uses the prophets as an example of those who suffered for the Lord and how we count them happy for such sufferings.  The prophets of old are an interesting example to speak of for they “…having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39-40).  The prophets had limited foreknowledge of Christ (Ephesians 3:1ff.).  We, knowing now what they desired to know them, may suffer knowing the hope that lies in Christ Jesus our Lord.

     The second example that James used in our opening text showed Job as an example of the Lord’s providence in the lives of those who suffer for His cause.  In fact, when we speak of Job we know some things that are amazing to think about.  First, that old serpent the Devil sought to deprive Job of all he possessed by saying this to our Heavenly Father: “Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land” (Job 1:10).  God responded by removing the hedge of protection from Job and granting Satan the power to take Job’s belongings, herds, his family, etc.  Satan did so as authorized.

     After Satan had stripped Job of all these things, Job said: “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).  Satan then afflicted Job through his health, which God allowed with the exception that Satan could not kill Job (Job 2:1ff.)  A study of the book of Job shows that he truly suffered, but in the end Job had been blessed by God with twice as much as he had lost for the Lord (Job 42:10).  From these examples, we can learn to count those happy which endure, for the Lord will take care of His people.

     As with Job, we may at times find ourselves afflicted in the flesh in many ways.  We may lose our jobs, belongings, and even members of our family for the cause of Christ.  In all of these possible losses, we must realize that our hope is in the hereafter, not the here and now.  Jesus taught the following in the famed “Sermon on the Mount”: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).

     We should be able to rejoice, as Jesus taught, in the privilege to suffer for the cause of Christ.  We know that God takes care of us here on earth (Matthew 6:33-34 and Romans 8:28), but the eternal reward for faithfulness far outweighs any earthly blessings one could ever have.   These points are clearly driven home by words that Peter penned through inspiration: “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls” (I Peter 1:4-9).

     As with all good things there is a cost.  Heaven is the greatest place one could ever desire to be.  It should be no great shock therefore, that Heaven may hold some of the greatest prices ever paid.  In fact, the subject matter of remaining faithful to the Lord and entering into eternity with God would not even be spoken of if not for the price that Christ had already endured on the cross.  The persecution Christ faced and the death He died shows forth an attitude that we should be willing to follow (I Peter 2:21).  We should also learn from our studies that our sufferings build us up to be able to endure to the end.

    “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:2-3).  As James shows, the trying of our faith builds endurance.  This is significant in our making it through this life faithful to the Lord, for all that live godly will suffer persecution (II Timothy 3:12).  As we suffer and our endurance increases, we can know that we will be able to better run the race to finish the course with faith (II Timothy 4:7).

     Our sufferings will increase our hope (Romans 5:3-4).  Our hope is in Christ Jesus, which will be realized when He returns (Titus 2:13).  Therefore, a life without suffering for Christ is a life that leaves us short of knowing fully what hope is.  If our lives here and now are so great, what would make us desire so greatly for the here and now to end that we may be with our Father in Heaven?

     Suffering also contributes to our faith increasing.  The more and more we are tried for the cause of Christ, the more and more we will find comfort in the Scriptures (Romans 15:4).  Our studies will increase our faith (Romans 10:17).  Additionally, the trying of our faith and our overcoming those trials will increase our faith as we see that God truly does answer our prayers.  In this, we will realize that we can do all things through Christ whom will strengthen us (Philippians 4:13).  Our faith in Christ, hope of eternal salvation, and endurance will be benefited through the things we may suffer for our Lord.

     The beloved Apostle Paul said: “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:7-8).  It would be a great thing if all Christians could have the attitude of many prophets of old, Job, and Paul.  We should realize that whatever price we are called upon to pay, for the Lord there is no price that is too high.

     The happiness of a Christian should not be able to be realized fully in this life.  The life of a Christian is one of preparing for when we truly shall live.  Paul displays this proper attitude as he writes to the brethren in Philippi: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.  For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you” (Philippians 1:23-24).  Our lives need to be looking forward, not clinging to what is our life in the flesh.  If we suffer for Christ, we will look that much the more forward to our reward which is Heaven.  In these things all Christians should be able to say, “AMEN”!  When we do face challenges to our faith, let us look properly at those trials knowing that  we can benefit greatly from them.