Therefore, he says, if you Christians love to be and to be called blessed and prosperous, imitate the patience and other virtues of the holy prophets and righteous ones whom you bless.
For this reason he joins to the prophets the renowned sufferer, the great worker of patience, and the foremost in piety, righteous Job.
It is as though he said to them: Many and countless are the righteous and holy ones who fought the good fight in patience, completed the course, and kept faith in God. To count them by name is impossible, and also unnecessary.
But you, Christians, should now remember Job, known to all and glorious. With every kind of patience he waged war and conquered the devil and all his host.
Looking to him as a prototype and image, imitate his unwavering faith in God and be zealous for his firm courage. Then you will appear as victors over the devices of Satan, and you will be crowned with him.
Thus, when Job completed the struggle and war against the devil, God, the Giver of contests and rich in compassion, not only granted him bodily health and added to and doubled the years of his life.
He also doubled all his possessions, and proclaimed him as crowned and victorious with these words: "Do you think that I have dealt with you for any other reason, except that you might appear righteous?" (Job 40:3).
In the same way, when you complete the good contest in patiently enduring temptations with thanksgiving, Christ, the Giver of contests, will crown you. He will proclaim you righteous and victorious with the same words spoken to Job.
For the Lord does not abandon those who love Him, as He says through Zephaniah: "Wait for Me... until the day of My resurrection as a testimony" (Zeph 3:8).
The divine Habakkuk also says to the righteous man concerning God: "If He delays," that is, if God delays helping you, "wait for Him" (Hab 2:3). Help will surely come to you.
Jeremiah also said: "The Lord is good to those who hope in Him" (Lam 3:25). More clearly than all, Isaiah writes that those who wait for Him receive help and protection from God.
He says: "Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not hunger" (Isa 40:31).
Let each of you, Christians, acquire most soul-profiting patience, so that he may enjoy the divine help of which you always sing with David.
"I waited patiently for the Lord, and He attended to me and heard my prayer. He brought me up out of the pit of passions and from the miry clay" (Ps 39:1-2), that is, out of sin and temptations.
Thus Olympiodorus, interpreting these words, says: "Do you think, O Job, that I left you in such temptations for any other reason than to show you righteous? No, do not think so.
For this reason I permitted temptations to come upon you, because I wished to show the whole universe that you are righteous."
THEOSIS