Even in our suffering, God is worthy of worship.

SCRIPTURE | Job 1–42

CENTRAL TRUTH

Pain often produces spiritual growth. It breaks down our preconceived ideas of who God is. It helps us learn who He really is and strengthens our faith in a different way than ease or comfort.

Key question

What do verses 21-22 show you about worship? How did Job’s faith impact his worship in suffering?

Keep in Mind

Many students wrestle with these questions: Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? How can He be loving but allow pain? What do we do when everything falls apart? Many of us ask these questions when we’re suffering or someone we love is suffering; we desperately need there to be a reason. But there’s rarely a simple answer. We may never know why certain things happen, but we can help students trace everything painful, evil, and sad to one thing: sin. All death and pain are the result of the fall in Eden. God never wanted us to experience any of it, and the hope we have in Christ is that, one day, we’ll no longer have to. One day, our pain will cease. Sometimes pain is the effect of sin; sometimes God allows it for His purpose and His glory; and sometimes our pain draws us or others to Him. No matter what, we can trust God in our pain. We can know He is good, even when life isn’t, and that He is preparing a place for us where no pain can enter.

APPLICATION

Job wrestled with who God was and asked questions, but God didn’t punish him for it. What does this reveal about God? How could this help you with your own questions?

THE WIN

FOR THE STUDENT: Many students were taught that it’s never okay to ask God questions or that questioning is a form of doubt or disrespect. But we don’t see this in Job’s story. When Job asked questions concerning his circumstances or even concerning God’s justice, he was motivated by a longing to understand. And this is the crucial truth about our questions: they must come from a desire to know God or to see our sin.

FOR THE LEADER: God isn’t uncomfortable with our questions. As leaders, we can take our questions to Him too, and we can trust He’ll reveal the answers we need.