Students will learn that in hard times they can turn to God who is always there.

 

Are you in the middle of a difficult situation? Are you are comfortable sharing with us a painful thing you have been through? Note to leader: you may need to share some painful experience you have been through to get the discussion going.

 

Imagine Dragons’ song “Believer” is about pain. Pain is screamed repeatedly in the chorus. And yet the following line finds some hope: Pain made a believer out of them. Pain can sometimes be what draws people closer to God. Anytime a big tragedy strikes people feel compelled to find a source of hope – the ultimate source of hope is God.

 

The pain of being a blind beggar brought one man to God and allowed many others to see Him too. (Read the story in John 9.) Through the pain of Lazarus’ death, the faith of his sisters and many others grew when he was resurrected. (Read the story in John 11.)

 

Why does a loving God allow pain and suffering? He knows that sometimes pain will draw people to Him and He allows it in order to remove all pain and suffering. He must remove its root cause: the fallen sinful state of humanity. But, God is patient. He will judge us and remove sin to restore everything to the perfect state it was meant to be. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

 

2 Corinthians 3:18 assures us that we are being transformed in God’s likeness for His glory. Just as a sculptor would hit away at a block of stone, God sometimes hits away at us. That pain brings about beauty just like the sculptor does. Romans 8:28 assures us, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

 

The apostle Paul suffered with what he called a “thorn in his flesh” and a “messenger of Satan” to torment him. Read his reaction to this pain in Romans 3:8-10. Can you delight in your weakness? Can you rejoice in hardships? Can you sing God’s praises in your pain?

 

We shouldn’t seek out pain, but when it does come, turn to God. Seek Him; seek to glorify Him. Shouts proclaiming God’s glory from mountaintops in our life hold less meaning than shouts proclaiming His goodness in the valleys of despair. Those valley proclamations bring Him glory.