Faith in God during times of suffering.

Job chapter 1 introduces us to Job, a righteous and wealthy man who feared God and shunned evil. The chapter then shifts to a heavenly scene where Satan challenges God's assessment of Job's character, suggesting that Job's piety is solely due to his blessings. God allows Satan to test Job, but with the restriction that Satan cannot take Job's life. In quick succession, Job receives devastating news: his livestock are stolen or killed, his servants are murdered, and a great wind collapses the house where his children are feasting, killing them all. Despite these immense losses, Job's initial reaction is to worship God, acknowledging God's sovereignty.

Key Takeaways:

• Even righteous people can experience great suffering.
• Satan seeks to undermine our faith in God.
• God has ultimate control, even when it doesn't seem like it.
• True faith remains steadfast in the face of adversity.
• Our possessions and even our loved ones are ultimately gifts from God.

Discussion Questions:

1. What were your initial thoughts about Job when you first heard about him? What impressed you about his character?
2. Why do you think God allowed Satan to test Job? What does this tell us about God's confidence in Job?
3. How would you have reacted if you were in Job's situation and experienced such sudden and devastating losses?
4. What does Job's response ("Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.") ¹ teach us about how we should view our possessions and blessings?  
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5. Why do you think Satan believed that Job's faith was only based on his prosperity? How can we ensure our faith is genuine, regardless of our circumstances?

Family Prayer:

Dear Lord, we thank you for the story of Job and the powerful lesson it teaches us about faith in the midst of suffering. We pray that when difficult times come, we will remember Job's example and turn to you in worship and trust. Help us to recognize that all good things come from you and to praise your name, whether in times of abundance or loss. Strengthen our faith so that it may remain steadfast through any trials we may face. Amen.

We are using the One Year Bible Storybook by Virginia J. Muir as our guide through this series.