Hall of Faith Week 4 Study

BIG IDEA

Have you ever felt like life was caving in around you? Maybe you received an unexpected diagnosis, or your loved one became sick. Perhaps a relationship ended, and you never saw it coming. Perhaps you had an unexpected medical bill that depleted your savings account. Because we all live on this earth that was corrupted by sin and death, we have all faced these moments. We have all faced suffering. The question is, what do we do in these moments? What do we do when life caves in around us? This is our topic of discussion this week. We are going to look at the life of Job, a man who was well acquainted with suffering, and see how God is good all the time.

BREAK THE ICE

Who is your go-to friend or family member that you would call if your car broke down on the side of the road? Why did you pick them?

SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS

Bible Study Questions

1.Who is someone whose faith has inspired you when they walked through a time of suffering?

WATCH SERMON RECAP

2. What did Satan take away from Job to see if he would curse the name of God? (See Job 1 & 2)

3. Read Job 6:6-13. What pain was Job experiencing? How did Job keep his character while suffering in this passage?

Job 6:6-13

Don’t people complain about unsalted food?
    Does anyone want the tasteless white of an egg?

My appetite disappears when I look at it;
    I gag at the thought of eating it!

“Oh, that I might have my request,
    that God would grant my desire.

I wish he would crush me.
    I wish he would reach out his hand and kill me.

At least I can take comfort in this:
    Despite the pain,
    I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

But I don’t have the strength to endure.
    I have nothing to live for.

Do I have the strength of a stone?
    Is my body made of bronze?

No, I am utterly helpless,
    without any chance of success.

4. Fast forwarding to the end of Job’s story, read Job 42:1-6. What did Job learn through his suffering?

Job 42:1-6

Then Job replied to the Lord:

“I know that you can do anything,
    and no one can stop you.

You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
    It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
    things far too wonderful for me.

You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
    I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.’

I had only heard about you before,
    but now I have seen you with my own eyes.

I take back everything I said,
    and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

Application

1. Job’s immediate response after losing his possessions and his children was to praise God. If you were in the situation, how might you respond?

2. When it comes to our own lives, why is it so hard to trust God in our pain and suffering?

3. What have you personally learned about yourself and God through suffering?

MOVING FORWARD

As we all know, each one of us walks through seasons of suffering and difficulty. When we go through these seasons, it can be easy to become consumed in our pain. One way to hope and purpose in our pain is to help someone else who is going through a difficult time. Does someone in your group know someone who is going through a difficult time? If so, talk as a group about how you all can help encourage them and even provide for a need if possible. Make a plan for how you can serve and encourage that person within the next few weeks.

Going Deeper

It is tempting, when we are facing trials and suffering, to wonder if we did something to deserve such hardships. Although not true, this faulty line of thinking is not new to us. Even Job’s friends fell under this line of thinking. Let’s spend a few minutes exploring what Job’s friends believed and why their line of thinking did not measure up.

Job’s friend’s response:

Eliphaz

• Read Job 4:1-11

o After reading, what did Eliphaz believe was the cause of Job’s suffering?

Bildad

• Read Job 8:1-7

o What did Bildad believe was the cause of Job’s suffering?

o What was Bildad’s solution to end Job’s suffering?

Zophar

• Read Job 11:1-20

o What did Zophar believe was the cause of Job’s suffering?

o What was Zophar’s solution to end Job’s suffering?

These are just some of the responses Job’s friends gave him in the middle of the pain and suffering he was facing. After reading these verses, summarize Job’s friends' view of the cause of pain and suffering.

Our response:

Perhaps there are more similarities in our view of pain and suffering and Job’s friends’ view of pain and suffering than we may realize.

• Do you see any similarities between people’s view of suffering today and Job’s friends’ view? If so, what are they?

• Have you found yourself adopting the view of Job’s friends? If so, how?

God’s response:

It is time now to see what God has to say about suffering and find hope in Him and His care and provision.

• Read Job 42:7-9.

o Summarize God’s response to Job’s three friends.

o What does God’s response in these verses show us about the cause of suffering?

• Read John 16:33.

o What does Jesus teach about trials in this verse?

o What hope do we find in this verse?

• After reading these verses, what is different in God’s teaching about suffering and the world's understanding of suffering?

• How do you find hope from these verses through the trials you are currently facing?

Although Job’s friends did him a disservice during his pain, we can learn from them. We can respond better than his friends to each other in our pain. Share with your group now the suffering or hard times you are currently facing. When everyone has shared, pray for each other. Pray for God to move in each other’s lives, and to provide peace. Thank God that we can rest in the promise that He has overcome the world.

MONTHLY MEMORY VERSE (Available for download on Sagebrush App)

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 1 Peter 1:8