God’s Healing for Life’s Losses:
How to Find Hope When You’re Hurting
Post 35: Gain a New Perspective on Suffering
How do you help others to trust God’s Person, larger purposes, good plans, and eternal perspective? There are many effective ways to journey with people toward seeing life with spiritual eyes. We’ll focus again on trialogues: three-way conversations between us, our friend, and the ultimate Spiritual Friend: Christ.How to Find Hope When You’re Hurting
Post 35: Gain a New Perspective on Suffering
Sample Weaving Trialogues
Consider some sample biblical trialogues to assist people to overcome doubt and despair by looking at life with faith eyes.
“In what ways do you think the world, the flesh, and the devil are trying to creep into your thinking (1 John 4:1-6; Galatians 5:13-21; Ephesians 2:1-3; 6:10-18)?”
“What passages have you found helpful in gaining a new perspective on your suffering?”
“When else have you experienced suffering like this? What did you learn about God in that situation? What would you repeat and what would you change?”
“How could you relate Paul’s perspective on his suffering in Romans 8:17-28 to your life? How could taking on his perspective alter your perspective?”
“God promises that all things work together for good for His children (Romans 8:28). What good purposes has God already provided to you or in you through these events?”
“What might God be wanting to accomplish in your life through your circumstances?”
“God is all-powerful, holy, and in control of everything. What impact do these characteristics of God have on you as you face this?”
“What applications can you make from Joseph’s conviction that though people intend things for our harm, God weaves them together for our good?”
“How could you emulate Joseph and forgive those who intended you harm? What would that forgiveness look like?”
“Let’s explore passages on forgiveness such as Matthew 18:21-35; 2 Corinthians 2:3-11; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:8-17.”
“Let’s explore passages on reconciliation and restitution such as Matthew 18:15-20; 2 Corinthians 6:11-13; 2 Corinthians 7:8-13.”
“What dead things do you anticipate Christ resurrecting? What will your resurrected life look like it?”
And What About You?
I invite you back tomorrow as we’ll explore how you and I can entrust ourselves to God.
2 comments:
A post about suffering without mentioning Job's struggle with faith and his idiot friends? I clung to those verses through chronic pain a few years ago. Thanks for your thoughts, though. I always love hearing about Joseph and being reminded that what people really do intend for our harm, God turns into good.
a2editor: Thanks for sharing. This particular post is one post in a series of over 40 posts on suffering. I do mention Job and Job's miserable counselors several times throughout the series. Bob
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