see and appreciate at the time? Which blessings were the most meaningful to you? 4. Read Psalm 13:1–2 . Are these words surprising to you? Why or why not? What does this Psalm suggest about how honest we can be with God? Have you ever been that honest in prayer? 5. Our internal dialogue shapes the way we experience suffering. What are some things you tend to tell yourself in your suffering? Which of those reflect gospel truth, and which do not? 6. Read Hosea 7:14 , Psalm 63:6 . Night often reveals what weighs most heavily on us. What tends to occupy your thoughts when you can’t sleep? 7. Read Genesis 22:1–8 . What stands out to you about Abraham’s response to God? What does this passage reveal about trusting God when the outcome is unclear? Have you ever faced a situation where there was no way out in a human sense, but God made a way that surprised you? 8. Elisabeth Elliot said, “The deepest things that I have learned in my own life have come from the deepest suffering. And out of the deepest waters and the hottest fires have come the deepest things that I know about God.” Where—if anywhere—have you seen that to be true in your own life?
FOR PERSONAL APPLICATION These aspects of the study can be used in between group sessions on your own, either with your spouse or individually as part of your devotional and confession life.
Do Something During the week ahead, turn your learning into doing. 1. Pay attention to your self-talk.
At the end of each day, notice some of the things you said to yourself when things went wrong or didn’t go as planned. Write them down. Then ask yourself: What was I believing about God, myself, or my circumstances in those moments? Write down how you might view those same situations through the lens of trusting in God’s goodness. 2. Reflect on God's blessings. Read Ephesians 1:3–14. Make a list of the blessings God has given you in Christ. Notice which ones you tend to take for granted or rarely think about. Ask God to help you see the beauty of those blessings and to remember them more readily, especially in times of difficulty. 3. Anchor yourself in what is true. Look up the following verses and write them in your own words: • 2 Corinthians 12:9–10 • 2 Peter 1:3 • 2 Corinthians 4:17 Choose one verse to memorize. Write it on a notecard or keep it somewhere visible as a reminder of what is true when suffering clouds your perspective.
Session 1
GOSPEL HOPE
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