Thursday Thoughts for Parents | From Bad to Worse

Thursday parenting featured

This post is based on Brian Chesemore's sermon, From Bad to Worse given on October 28, 2018.

 

Sometimes our faithful obedience brings hardship into our life. When this happens, it can leave us wondering if our obedience really matters or if God truly cares. Last Sunday, Pastor Brian walked us through Exodus 5 to help us think and respond biblically during difficult trials. We were freshly reminded of God’s deep love for us in the midst of adversity and encouraged to see that God uses our hardships (even directs us toward suffering) to humble us and make us grow deeper in our dependence upon Him.

 

Read Exodus 5

Questions:

  • Spend a few minutes thinking about times in the Bible when God’s people experienced adversity for faithfully following God. Have you experienced adversity for obedience to God’s will?
  • When you find yourself in adversity, do you get angry and turn away from God or do you turn to God for help? How would you encourage someone who tends to get angry or bitter when life is difficult?
  • Brian said at the beginning of the sermon that "sometimes we experience darkness before we experience deliverance." What does this pattern teach us about God? Why doesn’t God make us perfect at conversion?
  • In the Old Testament Israel had divine promises to assure them of God’s love, but as Christians, we have something much greater: the cross of Jesus Christ. How does the cross assure you of God’s love and give you hope in adversity?

 

Prayer:

Spend time praising God for caring for us so well, even in times of adversity. Ask Him to increase our faith in His promise that He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

 

[Post by Chris Coupland]