Introductions

SUFFERING IS BEARING PAIN, INCONVENIENCE, LOSS, INJURY. NO OTHER RELIGION DEALS WITH SUFFERING BETTER THAN CHRISTIANITY.

WHAT ARE SOME CAUSES FOR SUFFERING?

REGARDLESS OF THE SOURCE OF SUFFERING, NOTHING HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN CONTROL

– HOW DO PEOPLE RESPOND TO TRIALS? Blame, deny, self-pity, embittered.

THE CORRECT RESPONSE TO SUFFERING IS TRUSTING AND YIELDING TO GOD (JAMES 1:2-4). Asking God to walk with us (Ps. 34:18).

WHY WOULD A GOOD GOD ALLOW SUFFERING IN THE WORLD WHICH HE CREATED? CRITICS OF CHRISTIANITY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR GIVING US A “BETTER” ANSWER THAN OURS. CHRISTIANITY EXPLAINS BOTH THE CAUSE AND THE CURE FOR EVIL AND SUFFERING. SUFFERING DOES NOT MEAN THAT GOD DOES NOT LOVE US!

JESUS KNOWS SUFFERING FIRSTHAND

HOW CAN ANY “GOOD” COME FROM OUR SUFFERING?  “We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain. GOD ALLOWS SUFFERING TO STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH AND CONFORM US TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS.

WHAT RESOURCES DO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE SUFFERING IN OUR LIVES? 1. PRAYER: laments, confession, forgiving.

2. THE BIBLE: saturating your heart with the Word will help control your emotions. Memorize three verses about suffering: Romans 8:28, James 1:2–4, and 1 Peter 1:6–9

3. THE HOLY SPIRIT: the third Person of the Godhead. Romans 8:26, Romans 8:18.

4. OTHER PEOPLE (Gal. 6:2).

5. STORIES OF SUFFERING: other Christians have suffered well (1 Pet. 5:9-10; 4:12-13).

SO WHAT? 1. Choose joy. 2. Have an eternal perspective. 3. The Christian God knows firsthand about suffering (Heb. 4:15).

NEXT STEP: READ ROMANS 8. Choose one truth to pray about or share with a friend!

Thank you and wrap-up