WHY GOD LETS PEOPLE SUFFER

Lesson 5: SHOW US OUR NEED FOR HIM, PERFECT OUR FAITH

MEMORY VERSE: Psalm 119:50 My comfort in my suffering is this that Your promise preserves my life

NEED: Tape and player for “Just a Prayer Away” and dry erase markers

DISCUSSION:

1.  Two points to today’s lesson

a.  Our suffering gets us to turn to Him, our only source of help.

(Write: Turn to Him)

               b.  In turning to Him and having Him help us, our faith is strengthened

               in ways it could not be without suffering.

        2.  God’s relationship with Israel throughout the ages gives as clear a

               picture as we can get of how suffering turns people to God and what

               His reaction is.

READ:  Ex.2:23-25 and 3:7-10  This was 400 years sin Joseph (See Gen. 15:13) Why is their turning to God remarkable?  What advantage do we have that they didn’t?

ANS:  1.  These were people who had nothing more or less than the word of God’s promise, handed down orally generation to generation, that they would one day possess the land promised to their forefathers.  Remember that this is 400 years after Joseph’s memory was forgotten!

2.  In the desert, they cried out to him for water and He had  Moses get water from the rock.   They cried out to him for food.  There is not much natural food in the desert.  He gave them manna and quail.

READ:  Jdg. 3:8-9, 4:1-3, 6:1-11. What is the pattern in each of these passages?  What does it tell you about our own tendencies?  What does it tell you about God?

ANS:  The cycle: sin, suffer, cry out to God, be redeemed, forget God, sin, suffer, etc

READ: Jdg.10:6-16.  What are the differences between this and the previous 3 passages?

ANS:  2 things: a) God at first says, ”I will save you no more” b) The put away the foreign idols.

DISCUSSION:  There is no limit to God’s love for us.  In our suffering, when we cry out to Him, He hears. He is our Father who loves us, unconditionally.  Jesus told us to ask and keep asking.

READ:  Mt. 7:7-11.  What is Jesus saying?  Is this anything new?

DISCUSSION:  1) The Israelites did not remember all that God had done for them.  They forgot to put God first, so they sinned. The cycle began again.  We are no different “What have You done for me lately? God’s perspective, “Why don’t they learn?”

               a. How many times say “Don’t play with the bully or you’ll get

                   hurt”, still, when no one else to play with, he plays with the

                   bully

               b. Chanukah and Christmas frenzy.  Three days later in store,

                   returns.

c.  The way to break the cycle is to remember God, maintain our steadfast love (REV 2:1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

               REV 2:4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.

               5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the

               things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and

               remove your lampstand from its place.)  And have our sins forgiven

               throughout the year with our prayer and repentance daily.

               2) As believers, we are to grow as we learn to trust God’s wisdom and love because of these trials.  Paul personalizes it and helps us understand that although God hears, He does not always give us what we think we want or need.  Through these times, of experiencing God sustaining us through hardship, our faith is strengthened.

READ: 2Cor 12:7-17.  Why would Paul have become conceited? (His revelations) EXAMPLES from our lives, in which we might become conceited.  NOTE:  Satan, not God has given Paul the thorn. God allowed it)  What has Paul learned from His suffering? (God’s grace is sufficient)  

DISCUSSION:  Possible thorns in our lives:  Feeling isolated, unlovable, not being bright, feeling ugly, a disability, illness, unpopular, unbelieving family.  AnY trouble that won’t go away is your thorn.  What are some of your thorns?

II.  Through our suffering, our faith will be strengthened.

READ:  Jas1: 2-4

DISCUSSION: Perseverance: Stick to it., not giving up.

Sports teams: last minute wins, overtime. Casey Stengle “Not over

                             ‘til the fat lady sings”

Euthanasia:  Who decides?  Lord’s Prayer (Apostle’s Prayer) THY

                             will be done.

In what are we to persevere?

In what are we to persevere? (Faith and trust in God)

How will suffering develop perseverance in us? (Final step. Must do

        this to be complete)

SONG: “Just a Prayer Away”