Week 1 / 4
Blessing God During Suffering
Week 1 explores praising God amidst struggles. We start with Job 1-2, studying how Job worshipped God despite suffering. Through group discussions and personal reflections, we delve into our own suffering experiences and ways to praise God. Activities include creating a worship playlist, reflecting on Psalm 62, and writing a personal psalm. Gain practical tools to honor God in challenging times by week’s end.
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Suffering
Blessing God during suffering
Open up the time in prayer. Ask God to open your hearts for understanding and healing in areas where you are suffering.
Questions
- What is one thing that comes to mind when you think about the topic of suffering?
- Do you find it difficult to acknowledge to others that you are going through a time of suffering?
Read together Job 1-2
Read the Word
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
Group questions
- What stood out to you in this passage?
- How does this give you perspective for your times of suffering?
- How can we bring God praise even though we are suffering?
Take some time to read over the practice together as a group and discuss the questions at the end.
The Practice
This week, we are exploring praising God during our suffering. You might be in the midst of a season of suffering right now, or you might use this as a time to prepare your heart to praise God in a future season of suffering. Regardless of the season you are in, this is a great discipline to practice.
Day One
Use this day to create a playlist of songs that you can listen to throughout the week. Focus on songs that lift up and acknowledge who God is and praise Him for His character. Take time to worship the Lord with these songs each day this week as part of your devotional time.
Day Two
Read Psalm 62 on the following pages and reflect.
My Soul Waits for God Alone
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall never be shaken. How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down – this leaning wall, this tottering fence? Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall not be shaken. My salvation and my honour depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath. Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: ‘Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love’; and, ‘You reward everyone according to what they have done.’
Questions
- What was David's attitude like in this Psalm?
- Which verse stands out to you the most and why?
- Where are you struggling with trusting God?
- What can you start applying from this passage to your life today?
Take time to pray over the things that God revealed to you.
Day Three
Today, take time to write a poem or a psalm to God, something similar to what we read yesterday but in your own words and fitting to your situation. Here are some questions to help with the writing process:
- Who is God? How would you describe Him?
- Where do you see God at work in your life? Think about how you came to believe in Him. When has He answered a prayer, and how did He do it?
- What promises are you holding onto right now?
- What gives you hope?
Reflect on these questions and then write out your own poem or psalm to God.
Group Questions
- Is there anything you find difficult in this practice?
- How can the group best support you during this week?
Exercise
Have everyone find a prayer partner for the week. It can be the person sitting across from or next to them. Alternatively, have everyone fill out a prayer request on a piece of paper, and each person draws a request for the week. Be sure to encourage each other throughout the week.
© Copyright 2024 - Copyright notice
All photographs and graphics as well as the design of this online-document are protected by copyright. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the copyright lies with generations church Leipzig e.V. Please ask Tyler Charvat (Legal Notice generationschurch.de) if you would like to use the mentioned contents of this document.
Texts of this document are licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. This means you may distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only and you are required to give credit to the creator.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Suffering
Blessing God during suffering
Questions
- What is one thing that comes to mind when you think about the topic of suffering?
- Do you find it difficult to acknowledge to others that you are going through a time of suffering?
Read Job 1-2
Read the Word
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.
Questions
- What stood out to you in this passage?
- How does this give you perspective for your times of suffering?
- How can we bring God praise even though we are suffering?
The Practice
This week, we are exploring praising God during our suffering. You might be in the midst of a season of suffering right now, or you might use this as a time to prepare your heart to praise God in a future season of suffering. Regardless of the season you are in, this is a great discipline to practice.
Day One
Use this day to create a playlist of songs that you can listen to throughout the week. Focus on songs that lift up and acknowledge who God is and praise Him for His character. Take time to worship the Lord with these songs each day this week as part of your devotional time.
Day Two
Read Psalm 62 on the following pages and reflect.
My Soul Waits for God Alone
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall never be shaken. How long will you assault me? Would all of you throw me down – this leaning wall, this tottering fence? Surely they intend to topple me from my lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall not be shaken. My salvation and my honour depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Surely the lowborn are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie. If weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath. Do not trust in extortion or put vain hope in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: ‘Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love’; and, ‘You reward everyone according to what they have done.’
Questions
- What was David's attitude like in this Psalm?
- Which verse stands out to you the most and why?
- Where are you struggling with trusting God?
- What can you start applying from this passage to your life today?
Take time to pray over the things that God revealed to you.
Day Three
Today, take time to write a poem or a psalm to God, something similar to what we read yesterday but in your own words and fitting to your situation. Here are some questions to help with the writing process:
- Who is God? How would you describe Him?
- Where do you see God at work in your life? Think about how you came to believe in Him. When has He answered a prayer, and how did He do it?
- What promises are you holding onto right now?
- What gives you hope?
Reflect on these questions and then write out your own poem or psalm to God.
© Copyright 2024 - Copyright notice
All photographs and graphics as well as the design of this online-document are protected by copyright. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the copyright lies with generations church Leipzig e.V. Please ask Tyler Charvat (Legal Notice generationschurch.de) if you would like to use the mentioned contents of this document.
Texts of this document are licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. This means you may distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only and you are required to give credit to the creator.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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