the outcome of the Lord

As I was reading and listening to some online sermons this week. One sermon and thought really stuck with me as he talked about Job and the outcome God intended.  I cannot tell you whom I even heard talk about this and I cannot find it again. (Forgive me for not having it as a reference) But it has sat on my front burners for several days. The book of James. Chapter 5, verses 10-11 stands out to me as it is speaking of the examples we can read about in the Old Testament who suffered and endured.

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 KJV

Verse 11 has the phrase "Have seen the end of the Lord." I had to understand this. The Amplified version says it this way.

As an example, brothers and sisters, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord [as His messengers and representatives].
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 5:10-11 AMP

That phrase is written and  defined as "having seen the Lord's outcome." It ended up a rich blessing.  The end of this situation was a rich blessing from God.

This tells us that Job is an example of a believer who went through some rough times but God had an outcome to bring about through this time. When we read Job, we find a man whom God described as a good, righteous, faithful man. We would like to be like this man. Then the enemy attacked and He lost everything, riches, home, children and health. Even his friends were against him.  Job began to curse the day he was born, and seemed to reveal some things in his heart that weren't exactly good or righteous. He needed to get some things right with God. He came to a point of repentance and the whole situation changed. Job was restored double what he had before.

What can we learn from this? First of all, we will go through trials and troubles no matter how much we believe in God or serve him. We are not immune to struggles in this life. Living in this world promises hard times.
Second, we cannot assume we have nothing else to learn, or think we are alright just the way we are. We are imperfect human beings and no where near perfect in our righteousness. We need to get some things right with God. Our righteousness is filthy rags before Christ. We need to allow God to work on us as we go through trials. Job had some lessons to learn about his own heart. We need call out to God like the Psalmist did.

 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalms 139:23‭-‬24 KJV

 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
Psalms 44:21 KJV

Our hearts and our thoughts are not always righteous before God. We may have hidden secrets that actually keep us from more of God. God can work on those hidden secrets whether it is hurts, grudges, guilt, doubt, self-righteousness, etc.  He knows and wants to help us. He wants to work on our hearts to make us more like Him. We can pray and allow God to search our hearts and set us free of a little more of self.  This prepares us to be more like Him, impurities removed, and set apart for the use of the Master.
We know He has only good in mind for us. We can trust this process even when it is hard to go through.

 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28 KJV

The struggles we face may have been meant to destroy us, but with God they are meant to reveal the secrets of our heart so we can allow Jesus Christ to work on us and pull out a little more from the hidden recesses of our hearts to set us free. He takes a bad thing and turns it around  for our good.

During this time of life, COVID19 and all it has brought,  we are all facing some uncertainties and struggles. God can work on us individually. We can go to our knees asking  the Lord to reveal our own hearts and make us more like Him.  My prayer is: Search me Lord. Set me free and bring about the outcome  you have in mind. Use these the trials for good.