In this session we continue the a series by Lamar Hardwick on Working Through and Dealing With the Aftermath of Pain, Suffering and Grief, which we are categorizing as Aftermath of Pain.
In this study we will use Right Now Media for a short clip, but the study can be done without the video if necessary.
Session Goals
Every session has specific goals—things you want your group to walk away knowing, feeling, and committing to do.
- Main Idea: God is walking right beside us during our darkest days.
- Head Change: To understand the spiritual questions that suffering forces us to answer.
- Heart Change: To value the work that God can do amid suffering.
- Life Change: To allow suffering to change the way we express our faith.
Open
Who have you seen endure suffering while maintaining steadfast faith in the Lord?
Some people find that their hardships damage their faith, yet many see their faith grow amid the turmoil of life. In this session, Lamar Hardwick recounts the spiritual trials he faced amid his battle with cancer. Through God’s Word, he reminds us of God’s constant presence during the darkest moments of our lives.
Read Matthew 13:28b-30.
Watch Session 2: How Do I Walk This Out? (5 minutes).
Discuss
Lamar Hardwick explained in this session that our difficult circumstances leave us with questions about God. These questions include:
- Does this mean that God is not listening?
- Does this mean God is not really Lord?
- Does this mean that God is not loving?
- Does my suffering mean that God really doesn’t exist?
Why does suffering open us to such questions?
SUFFERING CAN STRENGTHEN A PERSON’S FAITH
Read Matthew 13:29.
When does simple faith become complicated by the difficulties of life?
Encountering difficulties will challenge the faith of a believer who may otherwise think faith in Christ will drive away all problems. Lamar’s experience with cancer treatment has deepened his faith to understand that even suffering can be a tool for growth in God’s hand. He explains, “One thing about suffering is that the pain of dealing with suffering, or illness, or grief can often change the way you walk out your faith.”
How does grief change the way people express their faith in God?
SUFFERING REVEALS GOD’S NATURE.
Read Matthew 13:30.
The farmer explained that the wheat and the weeds (tares) should be allowed to grow together, and at the harvest the weeds would be destroyed.
God allows the trials in your life to accompany the blessings. This accomplishes His will for your life. How might the removal of the difficulties you face impact your faith?
Difficulties can increase our faith. Lamar quotes Dr. Peter John Kreft, who explains that “most objections to the existence of God from the problem of suffering come from the outside observers who are quite comfortable, whereas those who actually suffer are, as often as not, made into stronger believers by their suffering.” Why does suffering increase one’s faith in God?
GOD ACCOMPLISHES HIS WILL EVEN IN YOUR SUFFERING.
Lamar explained, “Even though the farmer knew the weeds were attaching themselves to the wheat, he still believed that the wheat could produce a harvest. In other words, he believed that the wheat would still produce something worthwhile.” How can your suffering be used to carry out God’s will?
Last Word
Suffering should be expected. We want to think of it as life’s exception, but it is the rule. Just as the farmer is not surprised by the weeds, we should expect suffering to come our way. The elimination of suffering will not grow our faith but will instead cheapen it.
Lamar states, “We should keep walking out our faith, and we should keep believing in God because ultimately God believes in us.” There is nothing in us that would be worth God believing in us, but God nevertheless calls us to walk the path of Christ, and that path unavoidably involves suffering for His name.