Gathering (Choose one)

Describe an event from your life that demonstrates the old adage: “When it rains, it pours?”

Describe a time in your childhood when you “escaped” the consequences of your actions.

 

Backstory

The story of Job is a strange one. Job was a devout God-follower and was blessed with a large       family and many possessions. In his culture, he would have believed he was rich because God had blessed him. If he lost his fortune, it would have been normal to believe God was against him—and blame God for doing it to him. We might think the same if we didn’t have the backstory of Satan’s working. We can only speculate why God allowed Satan to bring so much pain into Job’s life. Yet, unlike others in his culture, he didn’t blame the gods (or God)—instead he worshipped and praised God.

 

God’s Story

Read Job 1: 1-22.

 

Finding My Story in God’s Story

1. If God had allowed you to film the meeting with the angels, especially Satan (the “accuser”), what scene would you have wanted to get just right?

  • The other angels who were listening in on the God/Satan conversation.
  • A close-up on Satan’s face to catch his scheming.
  • A close-up on God to see if Satan would be allowed to carry out his scheme.
  • The whole room, to catch the astonished looks when God turned Satan loose on Job.
  • Other __________ .

 

2. Put yourself next to Job, as his butler, when the reports of devastation started coming in. How would you have helped Job and his wife?

  • Given them a hug.
  • I have no idea what I’d have done.
  • Started calling their friends to help.
  • Tried to console them, reminding them that God still loves them.
  • Other _________.

3. How do you feel about God “bragging” to Satan about Job, then allowing Satan to destroy much of Job’s life?

  • I feel like God has done that to me before.
  • I don’t understand why God would make a deal with Satan.
  • It feels like God is using Job to play with Satan.
  • I hope there is more to this story than what I read here.
  • Other _________ .

 

4. Your boss has just asked you to summarize Job’s response to his losses for tonight’s news headline (5 words or less). What will you write?

 

5. If you had been Job, how close would your responses have been to how we’re told he responded?

  • I think I’d have been a lot like him.
  • I could never respond with his trust in God.
  • I would have gone crazy…started yelling and throwing things.
  • I can’t know how I’d respond without being in “his shoes.”
  • Other __________ .

 

6. What struggle, pain, loss, etc. are you going through today that makes you feel a bit like Job?

  • Our family __________ .
  • I have a friend who __________ .
  • I feel so lost about __________ .
  • My work is __________ .
  • Other __________ .

 

Our Story

7. What do you think should be your first BIG step in dealing with the struggle, loss, pain, etc. that you’re experiencing today?

 

8. Who in this group, TODAY, has given you the gift of hope because of their answers or the affirmations they gave?

 

9. Pray together as a group. Ask God to show up this week and help each group member to take that first BIG step described in #7.