Route 66 Job: Why Me? The Meaning of Suffering

Job:  Why Me? The Meaning of Suffering”

Job 1-2; 42

April 22, 2018

Job’s Fine Fortune         Job 1:1-5

His Wealth, His Wisdom & His Health

Job’s Frightful Misfortune        Job 1:6-2:10

His Wealth, Family, Health, & Wife

Job’s Firm Faith             Job 1:20-22; 2:9-10

“Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.”

Job’s Fair Frustrations Job 3

Why Is This Happening to Me? 

Job’s Foolish & Failing Friends         Job 4-37

They Cared But Gave Poor Advice & Had Flawed Theology

Job’s Frustrated Request        Job 19:7; 30:20,24; 31:35

Lord, Please Answer Me

God’s Forthright Reply Job 38-39; 40:6-41

• I Am the Creator
• I Am in Control

Job’s Fitting Response            Job 40:1-5; 42:1-6

• I Am Nothing
• I Will Listen
• I Heard About You But Now I See You
• I Repent

God’s Faithful Resolution                  Job 42:7-17

• He Rebukes
• He Restores

3 Truths

• We Often Suffer
• We Sometimes Understand
• We Can Always Trust

3 Needs

• We Need God’s Perspective
• We Need God’s Peace Through His Presence
• We Need Godly Peers (Friends)

LISTEN TO THE WORD

• Do you see & hear God’s call to be in the Word, to hear it preached, listen to it taught and shared in a LifeGroup and even more in your own daily walk with the Lord? Where and how are you listening to the Word of God in your life?
• Do you hear the message that bad things happen to good people and bad people? How have you seen that played out in your life and the life of others?
• Do you see and hear the call to be the kind of friend who listens more than talks and when you do talk to be very sensitive with what you say and when you say it? How will this change the way you approach someone who is walking through a difficult time of suffering or tragedy in their life?
• Do you hear God’s call to love Him and trust Him anyway when you can’t see or understand what’s going on in your life? Where do you need to do that in your life?
• Do you see and hear that God doesn’t “fuss” at Job over his honesty and pleading with the Lord? Where do you need to be honest and pour out your heart before the Lord?
• Do you hear Job’s word that “I’ve heard of you but now I see you (I’ve experienced you)”? Where do you need to see that in your life? How have you “heard but not seen yet”?

LEARN THE WORD

• How do you see the Lord at work in Job? How does that change how you think and then respond to the Lord?
• Where do you see the scarlet thread weaving through the book of Job?
• Know and understand that God doesn’t cause all the bad things that happen in our lives nor does Satan. However we do know that all things pass through the Hand of God first. He is in control and the Creator! How does that change the way you view things in your life and even in the world around you?

LOVE THE WORD

• Do you see the incredible love and patience of God with Job? Do you see it in his friends and even more so with yourself? How have you seen that in your life? How does that make you love Him more? What difference has that made in your life?
• Do you love Him more as you see that He is always in control of the circumstances of our lives & the whole world? Where do you need to love and trust Him more? How have you seen Him to be faithful and true to you?
• Don’t you love the Lord even more as you see that He is there with you even when you can’t hear Him, can’t see Him or even feel Him? How have you seen that played out in your life?

LIVE THE WORD

• Turn to the Word & turn others to the Word – if you have stopped reading it daily, jump on board with us in Week 16 & listen for what the Lord has to say to you. Live it out this week, & share it with someone in your circle of influence.
• May you be willing to walk the road that the Lord has put before you; whether in the good or in the suffering and difficult times and even the in between daily grind of life… Where do you need to do that in your life? How does your response need to be like that of Job’s?
• How can you apply the truths we’ve talked about today in your life right now or maybe something from the past? Maybe right now things are good but you need to hang on to this so you can have it as a reminder when the tough times come?